LAHORE: The Lahore Summer Meeting faced a major disruption here at the Racecourse as a powerful windstorm, followed by a heavy cloudburst, forced the cancellation of the races after just two had been completed.

The unexpected turn of events occurred immediately after the conclusion of the second race, as the competing horses crossed the finish line.

The racing village was struck by a high-velocity windstorm, causing chaos as tents were uprooted and windowpanes shattered, prompting spectators and participants to seek shelter.

To compound the situation, the windstorm was swiftly followed by a downpour that lasted over an hour, resulting in extensive flooding throu­ghout the race club premises.

The unfavourable weather conditions left the Lahore racing club stewards with no choice but to cancel the remaining races.

In light of the circumstances, the club announced that race-goers would be granted entry to the next race day with their existing tickets.

In the initial race, the favoured bay gelding Kara Macs, trained by Rashid Aziz and ridden by Hassan Toor, emerged victorious, pleasing the punters who had backed it with even-money odds.

In a thrilling finish to the second race, the underdog bay colt Mumraiz Prince narrowly defeated favourite bay colt Good Future, creating a level playing field for the turf accountants.

The upcoming race meeting has been rescheduled for Sunday, July 2.

Published in Dawn, June 26th, 2023