LAHORE, Nov 2: The Lahore Race Club (LRC) stewards have warned off owner Fakhar Majeed from the LRC premises for six months and also cancelled his ownership on disciplinary charges.
The stewards took the decision on an inquiry report submitted to them by LRC stipendiary steward regarding intentionally dropping five pounds weight after weighing out in the scale room from his mount Legality by jockey Khurrum Sheikh on Oct 6 last.
The stewards called jockey Khurrum Sheikh and Fakhar Majeed owner of Legality. After listening to them it transpired that Fakhar Majeed had directed Khurrum Sheikh to drop five pounds weight from the filly on way to starting gates. The jockey acted in the same way and dropped five pounds from originally assigned weight of 9-8. This was admitted by Khurrum Sheikh during the inquiry.
The stewards, however, exonerated Khurrum Sheikh but warned him for his future conduct. Fakhar Majeed had been warned off for six months with effect from Oct 19. The entries of Legality to run in races has also been banned for six weeks.
This is an incident of a singular nature ever occurring in the history of the LRC.—A.G.