. ▁Since ▁then ▁and ▁for ▁many ▁years , ▁the ▁race course ▁has ▁seen ▁the ▁annual ▁celebr ation ▁of ▁the ▁acc ession ▁to ▁independence . ▁ ▁Today , ▁the ▁Champ ▁de ▁Mars ▁attract s ▁tens ▁of ▁thousands ▁of ▁people ▁on ▁each ▁racing ▁day ▁during ▁the ▁racing ▁season ▁from ▁late ▁March ▁to ▁early ▁December ▁and ▁has ▁become ▁the ▁ult imate ▁meeting ▁place ▁for ▁racing ▁fan at ics ▁from ▁all ▁over ▁the ▁island ▁and ▁even ▁from ▁abroad . ▁The ▁track ▁has ▁also ▁played ▁a ▁fundamental ▁role ▁in ▁prop elling ▁horse ▁racing ▁as ▁the ▁most ▁popular ▁sport ▁and ▁form ▁of ▁entertain ment ▁among ▁the ▁local ▁population . ▁ ▁History ▁Before ▁ 1 8 1 0 , ▁the ▁area ▁was ▁a ▁military ▁training ▁ground ▁for ▁French ▁troops . ▁The ▁aim ▁of ▁the ▁found ers ▁of ▁the ▁Maur it ius ▁Tur f ▁Club ▁to ▁set ▁up ▁horse ▁racing ▁at ▁the ▁Champ ▁de ▁Mars ▁was ▁to ▁recon cile ▁the ▁French ▁sett lers ▁with ▁the ▁English ▁administration ▁who ▁had ▁conquer ed ▁the ▁island ▁in ▁December ▁ 1 8 1 0 . ▁ ▁They ▁were ▁convinced ▁that ▁the ▁conv iv ial ▁atmosphere ▁of ▁horse ▁racing ▁would ▁fost er ▁unity ▁between ▁the ▁two ▁communities ▁and ▁ensure ▁social ▁peace ▁and ▁harm ony ▁after ▁years ▁of ▁fighting ▁in ▁the ▁Indian ▁Ocean . ▁ ▁The ▁new ▁Governor , ▁Sir ▁Robert ▁Far qu har ▁and ▁his ▁wife ▁of ▁French ▁origin , ▁Maria ▁La ut our , ▁act ively ▁supported ▁the ▁organization ▁of ▁horse ▁racing , ▁the ▁latter ▁offering ▁the ▁first ▁gold ▁cup ▁after ▁the ▁Club ’ s