LAHORE, Nov 17: The many time champion Jockey M. Hanif’s star is rising as he is at present the most sought after rider at the Lahore races.

In the absence of jockey Shahid Rehman, who fractured his left wrist a couple of weeks earlier while exercising in the morning at the track he had a fall from a colt, who fractured his leg. Owner Syed Parvaiz Hussain Shah thus lost a valuable colt, who was destroyed.

Hanif has so far ridden to victory a dozen of his mounts, which also included a rare feat of hat trick of wins. On every race day he is offered chance mounts like Shahid Rehman, and he proves his mettle.

Hanif, is one of the few Pakistani riders, who had the opportunity of track riding in Britain many a times that has helped him to hone his skills.

At home he has to his credit wins in all classic and semi-classic races and is the recipient of “Best Jockey Award” in Lahore, a couple of years back.

At present, he is the first choice rider of the leading stable owned jointly by LRC chairman Tariq Aziz and Khawaja M. Arif.—A.G.