KARACHI: Riding boy Mohammad Naeem, who remained unconscious after falling from his mount Sugar King during morning track work at the Karachi Racecourse on Aug 31, succumbed to his injuries at a local hospital on Wednesday. He was 35.

The deceased, who belonged to a family of riders and trainers, is survived by his wife, one-year-old son, father Karim, a former rider and trainer, and brothers including prominent trainer M. Rafiq K and rider Fahim K.

Naeem had travelled to England frequently where he worked as a horse groomer.

The deceased was laid to rest at Mewashah graveyard in the evening. His funeral prayers were attended amongst others by KRC secretary Syed Ali Akbar Shah Rashdi.

“The KRC has contributed a sum of Rs4,00,000 towards his (Naeem’s) treatment in the hospital so far,” Rashdi told Dawn.

Naeem became the third rider during the last two-and-a-half years who lost his life at the racecourse.

Promising rider Abdul Aziz II, who was severely injured after falling from Optimism in the third race held on Dec 25, 2011, succumbed to his injuries, after remaining in coma for three weeks, at a local hospital. He was 19 and the only son of rider-turned-trainer M. Mazhar.

Another rider Hakim Ali, who had fallen from Pampas Grass on June 8 this year, died on June 14.

Published in Dawn, September 18th , 2014