animals are central to mauritian identity in more ways than one.rapped up take this weekly ritual which has become tightly wrapped up with mauritian social life and culture — going to the races. the islands independence from british rule was declared on this very racecourse, the champ de mars, in 1968. built more than two centuries ago, it's the oldest racecourse in the southern hemisphere. and from the start, its very aim was to bring disparate communities together. oh, and to satisfy the locals' love of gambling, of course. and today, there's one family who now dominate horseracing in mauritius. actually, it was my grandfather who introduced our family to horse racing. he was the first indian to be a member of the national assembly of parliament. and in 190a, he was a businessman. at the beginning, he was a milk seller, but then he started doing business, buying land and buying and selling land and property. he also realised that buying a racehorse would allow him to mingle with the big cheeses, especially french businessmen, who ran the economy

accent there's a distinctive mauritian a cce nt to there's a distinctive mauritian accent to the foodow, this is a multi— ethnic multicultural multilingual multi— religion country, so hinduism is the majority religion but you've also got christianity, islam, chinese religions, buddhism. it's all here. where are we? we're in a small market that is made up of street vendors. all these people used to be selling everything from clothes to food to electronic gadgets on the street but that was illegal so the state gave them some spaces. ca va? so this is after, he used to be on ca va? so this is after, he used to beona ca va? so this is after, he used to be on a street corner in chinatown selling dumplings with his father. so now he is here. chinese -- mauritian? yeah. this is the long fish? yes, the long fish. that is nice, that is really good. how many will years have you working? for myself, after schooling, nearly 50 years. 50 years! the sheer diversity of food is one benefit of the cultural hotpot in russia's. another is language, french, english and creole is all spoken here. and then

in eight hundred twenty eight he had a palace built in a mauritian real graphic style designed by the british architects of buckingham palace. it's an aftershock that's just sad and i have to go sorest empire conquered crimea in seventeen eighty three it became a desirable place for russians to visit or for various reasons these included its climate of which compared to russian conditions and especially central russian or conditions it was like another world. and he says he's caught the south coast in particular with its mediterranean climate and volume sea was light sources and this was something russians had absolutely no experience of all they knew were the cold waters of our hunger ask for example angles so that was certainly one reason big t.v. so many other factor that makes crimea such an attractive location from a russian perspective at least among the elite was the spread of western culture and values in the late eighteenth century and even since peter the great vest o.p.'s in all the classical antiquity was in vogue at this particular time the until landing crimea russia had

animals are central to mauritian identity in more ways than one. with mauritian social life and culture races. on this very racecourse, the champ de mars, in 1968. in the southern hemisphere. disparate communities together. oh, and to satisfy the locals' love of gambling, of course. horseracing in mauritius. to horse racing. a member of the national assembly of parliament. and in 190a, he was a businessman. land and property. who ran the economy then and loved racing. today is a very special day. in the national sport. we will be creating history. and we got a peek into the paddock to meet soun‘s cousin. this gentleman, i know him very well. i often see you on the bbc all over the world! this is very much a family affair. that's the cup that we are looking for. can i touch it? anyone can touch it before, but i want to touch it after. afterwards, yes... this is fantastic. of the most important men in racing. inside the jockeys‘ room, preparations are underway. down by the track, i can feel the sense of occasion here. here is where everybody gathers, rich, poor — everyone. this is the day