LAHORE, July 13: A new format for re-classification of all competitors taking part in Lahore Winter Meetings starting next September has been announced by the Lahore Race Club (LRC).

The need for this has arisen because of the absence of race horses in class one to three with the result hardly any race had been held for animals of these classes during the last couple of years.

In the past the winter meetings used to be held under the Jockey Club Of Pakistan (JCP) rules and there were many thoroughbreds as well as half-breds Pakistani breeds who not only reached class one besides the imported horses.

But during the last couple of years races have been held under the LRC rules. Since then things have changed to the extent that at present there are hardly ten to fifteen horses, who have reached class IV and III but none in class one and two.

For the revival of higher class category racing it has now been decided that all thoroughbreds will start racing from class IV division IV. If a thoroughbred wins a maiden race, he will be handicapped in class IV division III and in case he wins further he will be promoted division wise. In case of demotion he will not slide downward in handicapping beyond division V in any case.

All half-breds coming from the top twelve stud farms of the country will start racing from Class VII division I. and will be treated and promoted according to the same lines adopted for thoroughbreds.

The half-breds coming from other than the 12 listed stud farms, will start racing career from class VII division V and those not figuring on the board from 1st to 3rd positions for the consecutive six times will be eliminated and thrown out of the Lahore Racecourse.

All the imported animals will start racing from class one at lowest weight and would be demoted to maximum class two. In the past imported horses for breeding purposes were allowed to race upto six years of age but now the age limit and racing time duration has not been fixed and kept open at the option of the LRC stewards.

The proposals to make these changes was drafted and put forward by a former steward and an ex-international hockey star Munir Dar and approved at a meeting of LRC stewards chaired by Syed Fakhar Imam.

Meanwhile the prospectus for the 28-Lahore Winter Meetings programme was being given final shape. The salient feature was a sizable increase in stake-money to be awarded to the contestants occupying first three berths in each race.—A.G.