▁history ▁to ▁mark ▁the ▁occasion . ▁ ▁When ▁he ▁came ▁to ▁Maur it ius , ▁Colonel ▁Edward ▁Dra per ▁enthus iast ically ▁promoted ▁horse ▁racing ▁at ▁the ▁Champ ▁de ▁Mars ▁for ▁some ▁twenty ▁years , ▁racing ▁his ▁own ▁thorough bre ds , ▁often ▁r iding ▁them ▁in ▁competition , ▁to ▁the ▁point ▁that ▁he ▁became ▁known ▁as ▁the ▁“ F ather ” ▁of ▁the ▁Maur it ius ▁Tur f ▁Club . ▁ ▁The ▁main ▁road ▁leading ▁to ▁it ▁is ▁a ▁land mark ▁known ▁to ▁racing ▁enthus iast s ▁as ▁“ R ue ▁Govern ement ”, ▁Champ ▁de ▁Mars ▁race course ▁is ▁nest led ▁at ▁the ▁foot ▁of ▁lov ely ▁hills . ▁ ▁It ▁is ▁the ▁oldest ▁race course ▁in ▁the ▁southern ▁hem is phere ▁and ▁the ▁second ▁oldest ▁in ▁the ▁world . ▁Within ▁its ▁prem ises ▁stands ▁a ▁statue ▁of ▁King ▁Edward ▁VII ▁by ▁the ▁sculpt or ▁Pro s per ▁d ’ É pin ay , ▁and ▁the ▁Mal art ic ▁T omb , ▁an ▁ob el isk ▁to ▁a ▁French ▁governor . ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁ 1 9 th ▁century , ▁the ▁only ▁permanent ▁boxes ▁at ▁the ▁Champ ▁de ▁Mars ▁were ▁those ▁reserved ▁for ▁the ▁Governor , ▁the ▁Mayor ▁of ▁Port ▁Louis ▁and ▁M TC ▁officials . ▁ ▁Tem por ary ▁boxes ▁were ▁built ▁and ▁h ired ▁on ▁the ▁spot ▁on ▁race ▁days , ▁and ▁over ▁the ▁years , ▁new ▁boxes ▁were ▁ere cted . ▁In ▁ 1 9 0 6 ▁the ▁M TC ▁purchased ▁a ▁wooden ▁house ▁at ▁ 2 6