Every Sunday, particularly when horse races are organized for coveted cups, all roads lead to the Karachi Race Club (KRC), located on the outskirts of the city where lovers of horse racing gather in big numbers.
Considered as the ‘king of sports’, horse racing picked up momentum in the recent past under the new managing committee which was installed in November 2003 by the Sindh government after dissolving the previous body. The present set-up is headed by its administrator Fakir Syed Aitzazuddin, with Syed Ayaz Hussain Shah Rashdi and Syed Ali Akber Shah Rashdi as secretary and deputy secretary respectively.
Spread over an area of 245 acres, the existing Karachi Racecourse was established 16 years ago in 1989. Until then, races used to take place on the old premises.
Horse racing in the city has been kept alive because of the active interest of veteran politician Shah Mardan Shah Pir Pagara, who owns around 40 horses of the present strength of approximately 450. “It’s a passion for him since last four decades,” according to a survey conducted by Dawn.
At least, 150 to 200 horses are active and frequently participate in the weekly summer Gymkhana race meetings.
There are around 400 owners of horses and prominent among them are Syed Sadruddin Shah, Syed Ali Gohar Shah, former steward of the KRC, Faisal Farooq, steward Jockey Club of Pakistan, Murtaza Raza Hussain and Syed Nadeem Anwar. All these people own 15 to 30 horses.
“Horse racing has come a long way in the city particularly after remaining suspended for almost six years from 1977 to 1983. Two years back, a downward trend was witnessed in the activities due to the lack of interest shown by the previous body,” says a bookie on condition of anonymity, adding the atmosphere is conducive for horse racing now.
This is evident from the fact that owners have brought 150 to 175 horses from Lahore to Karachi in the last 12 months.
Only the affluent class can afford to own a horse. Its minimum price starts from Rs0.5m and goes upward depending on the classification. Apart from that, an enormous amount of money is required on horses’ feeding, training and other expenses. The active racing life of a horse is eight years following its start as a colt at the age of two.
In addition to that, it is mandatory for an owner to become member of the KRC. To become a life member, one has to pay Rs75,000 while to get an ordinary membership, the fee is Rs25,000. Women can become members by paying just Rs10,000. This is besides the annual charges that one has to pay for all the categories.
There are 75 active horse trainers and altogether 100 jockeys at the KRC. Trainer and jockey of a horse get a share of 10 per cent of stakes apiece in case of victory, while the rest goes to the owner.
June to August is considered off season, still there are 28 bookies at the KRC who are doing a roaring business.
Duty-bound?
The Karachi Race Club (KRC) is facing a dilemma following an alarming increase in the excise duty imposed on the sale of tickets since last five years.
In 1994, the excise duty was Rs18 per ticket which was doubled in 1995. Five years later, it shot up to Rs108, an increase of 300 per cent.
The entrance ticket is Rs156 of which the KRC gets a meagre Rs36 after paying Rs108 excise duty and another Rs12 to the cantonment board.
The administrator of the KRC has time an again drawn the attention of Sindh’s chief minister towards reducing the excise duty which, according to him, has been unfairly levied.
“The public has to be encouraged to come and watch sports and sporting activities whereas the exorbitant tax structure is keeping them away as can be seen from the empty stands at the cricket and hockey stadiums,” says F. S. Aitzaz Uddin in his last letter to the chief minister, dated June 3, 2004.
He suggested an increase of 100 per cent every five years, as was done in 1995 in order to make racing popular in the province.
The KRC chief feared that since the last raise was made in 2000, it is anticipated that another such step will cripple horse racing completely.
The annual expenditure of the KRC comes around 20 to 25 million rupees annually which includes staff salaries of 250 to 300 people and maintenance of the premises etc. Besides, the KRC pays Rs one million annually to the Sindh Home Department for renewal of license. The amount is mostly generated through book makers, says a source. — A.Z
Every Sunday, particularly when horse races are organized for coveted cups, all roads lead to the Karachi Race Club (KRC), located on the outskirts of the city where lovers of horse racing gather in big numbers.
At least, 150 to 200 horses are active and frequently participate in the weekly summer Gymkhana race meetings.
