LAHORE, Jan 6: In its quest for further popularizing horse racing the Lahore Race Club (LRC) has set up a three-member committee to suggest ways and means to achieve this objective.

The committee had been constituted at the Annual General Meeting of the LRC presided over by LRC chairman Tariq Aziz on Dec 24 last.

The committee members have been directed to submit their proposals to the LRC chairman aimed at capturing attention and imagination of sports lovers towards equine sports so that they attend races in large number. At present about two thousand (2000) race-fans attend races on Sundays while those visiting the club on Wednesdays number about thirteen hundred (1300) .

After the race club was shifted from Gulberg Road complex now turned into Ghulam Jilani Park to the present site at the suburban town Kot Lakhpat in 1978, the thoroughbred racing has become one of the most exciting and fastest growing sectors of the equine sports. Over the years the magnificent thoroughbreds by their fine performances have lent the sports a spirit that is both unique and compelling. To see the four-legged athletes run is to experience something fast and enduring and perfect in motion. For spectators, fans, owners and sports connoisseurs, the thoroughbreds offer racing at its best.

The committee chairman Azmat Ali Ranjha, told Dawn that they will focus on the possibilities of making horse-racing attractive and a fun day out for families as well as the Racecourse a perfect venue for entertainment.

For this the committee will submit a feasibility study for staging Special Day 's races, arranging jockeys championship races and best horse of the year competitions and find out a bit more on the pattern of Hong Kong Day and Royal Ascot races etc. Perhaps the LRC chairman wants the return of the old days when families used to visit race club then situated at Gulberg Road. The committee comprises Mr Azmat Ali Ranjha, Syed Parvaiz Hussain Shah and MrAbdul Qadir Khan Mamdot. They all are lovers of horses and have been visiting race club in foreign countries. Syed Parvaiz Hussain Shah also owns horses in Hong Kong and Australia.—AG