LAHORE, Dec 30: Horse-racing in Lahore, the second biggest racing center of the country after Karachi, took a giant leap towards qualitative improvement and provision of most modern racing facility at the Racecourse but breeding industry was dealt a severe blow by an unprecedented price-hike during the year 2006.

Racing has been acknowledged as a sport with an all weather round the year facility and introduction of night racing in hot summer days.

In a big leap, the Lahore Race Club (LRC) imported high-powered generators to produce own electricity. A new look Racecourse, fitted with ultra-modern lighting arrangement, added spice to the good summer racing during the night. This brought a phenomenal change in the shape of the Racecourse with the natural attribution of panoramic view of the equine sports, which had been a dream of all previous managements.

During the year under review, a record high prize-money was on offer and over three- dozen national, multi-national commercial managements and sports lovers sponsored events valuing over 40 million rupees.

The LRC installed an automatic photo-finish camera but it did not work satisfactorily and the firm engineers tried their best to put in order during the trial running of the gadget but when it did not work they abandoned work. The LRC had to be content with the old arrangement considering that some thing is better than nothing.

The improvement of racing and the modernization of the Racecourse aside, the racing industry experienced an alarming price-hike. A steep price rise during the last couple of years had an adverse effect and its pinch felt by majority connected with the industry. The main cause was attributed to ever-increasing cost of maintenance, feeding and veterinary services for animals. The grain in the open market was very expensive.

To arrest the situation the LRC imported over 4000 bags of oats from Australia to provide owners at subsidized rates, but the quantity was not sufficient to meet long-term requirements. There are some breeders and owners, who while talking to Dawn said it is seasonal and not long lasting. Syed Parvaiz Hussain Shah said he was not at all worried about it and there are some others, who said they are unaffected. But the affect was visible during the auction sale of the new crop, which failed to attract many buyers. Some horse-owners, who could not bear the brunt of price-hike had to reduce their stable strength.

Yet another step forward was that the horseracing has found official patronage and recognition as a sport. The LRC was able to play host to many dignitaries, foreign diplomats, ministers and high-ranking personalities. The most important was a visit by the President, Gen. Pervez Musharraf, who graced the club by his presence in Feb last. A foreign diplomat has joined the ranks of owners.

The introduction of English, USA, Irish, Australian and French thoroughbreds in racing have made the racing action attractive and colourful. They enormously contributed towards uplift of racing standard and provided an opportunity to local thoroughbreds to race with them.

Once again the LRC chairman Tariq Aziz and his associates, who operate as a team, won the top honours among the prize-money winning owners. Among trainers Haji Ghulam Sarwar by virtue of his association with LRC chairman's stable Haji Fazal Hadi, seven times champion trainer and upcoming Sohail Aziz were most successful.. Among jockeys, M. Hanif, Shahid Rehman, Aamir Parvaiz and Salah-ud-Din proved their mettle in saddle skill. Champion jockey, M. Hanif was very unlucky and he had a fall from his mount Armida in November and fractured his arm. With an arm plastered fully, Hanif had been advised complete rest for six weeks.

Early in March racing circles were stricken with the news of death of LRC secretary Ata Ali Khan. The Lucknow born Ata had migrated to Pakistan from India in 1964 and joined racing management as profession. He served Jockey Club Of Pakistan and LRC in various capacities He had gone to India to meet his relations but died at the New Delhi airport before flying to Lahore, his mortal remains were flown and buried here.—AG