December 13, 2001	Thursday	Ramazan 27, 1422

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KARACHI, Dec 12: After the holy month of Ramazan, horseracing over here is due to resume with the Winter Gymkhana Meeting getting under way on Dec 19 at the Karachi Racecourse.

But up to now only seven entries have been received by the racing authorities due to the condition put down by the KRC Secretary, S.A.H. Shah, that every entry of a mount has to be accompanied with an entry fee.

In the past entry fees were adjusted against the stake money earned by the owner. This practice went on quite smoothly to all parties concerned and this rule now implemented by the KRC Secretary makes absolutely no sense at all.

Horseracing over here is recovering from the cruel scars received when racing was shut down for about five months, yet instead of improving things certain individuals continue to put a spoke in the wheel.

With such classic races due to be held within a month such as the Quaid-i-Azam Gold Cup, not to mention the Quaid-i-Azam Gold Cup Trials, the 2000 Guineas of Pakistan, the Pakistan St. Leger, the Nursery Cup, the Christmas Cup and other minor events, plenty of race horses have already arrived in the city.

But with this kind of policy implemented by the racing authorities will only discourage the cream of the horse owners along with their mounts from making the trip to Karachi.