Horse Racing: Two centuries on, horse racing fervour still unites Mauritians

As the horses round the last bend, the crowd starts shouting, their cries crescendoing into deafening cheers as the jockeys bear down on the finish line.

"The Deacon" noses across the line in first place and a man leaps in the air, frantically waving his arms, clutching in his hand the winning betting slip.

Horse racing is a virtual religion in Mauritius and the Champ de Mars racecourse its temple.

The 200-year-old track in the centre of the capital Port Louis has long been a lure for people from across the island's hotchpotch of cultures: Hindus, Muslims, Tamils, Chinese, Creoles and descendants of British and French settlers.

In many ways, the history of horse racing in Mauritius reflects the multi-ethnic history of the Indian Ocean archipelago nation from the colonial era to today.

The 200-year-old Champ de Mars track in Port Louis has long been a lure for people from across Mauritius's hotchpotch of cultures (AFP/File)