February 01, 2008	Friday	Muharram 22, 1429

KARACHI, Jan 31: The management of Karachi Race Club (KRC) has once again deferred the Gymkhana race meeting for a week in view of prevailing equine influenza.

“Hopefully, the races will now take place on Feb 10 instead of Feb 2 as announced earlier,” an official of the club, Akbar Shah Rashdi, told Dawn on Thursday.

According to him, the handicap for Saturday’s meeting could not be taken out as per schedule on Thursday due to fewer entries. “Only 56 horses were entered making it difficult to make five or six races,” he added.

Normally, he said, around 120 to 130 horses are entered in the weekly races.

The official disclosed that though a large number of competitive horses have overcome the disease yet they are weak and unable to go through the stress.

“They (horses) need some more rest to get fit like a fiddle,” he said.

He said the KRC doctor is taking special care as far as precautionary measures and diet to the ailing horses was concerned.

The last Gymkhana race meeting was held on Jan 9 before announcing a two-week break for Muharram.

A horse, three-year old bay colt, Kitli Wala, fell victim to the disease recently.