InfoAnda - Horse racing in Iraq romps past the hard times

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Yahoo! My Yahoo! Mail Yahoo! Search Search: Sign InNew User? Sign Up News Home - Help Navigation Primary Navigation Home Singapore Asia Pacific World Business Entertainment Sports Technology Top Stories Most Popular Secondary Navigation Asia Pacific World Search Search: Horse racing in Iraq romps past the hard times AFP - Wednesday, June 10 BAGHDAD (AFP) - - Seven thoroughbred horses thundered down the backstretch engulfed in a cloud of desert dust before Rose of Ali surged across the finish line first, spurred by the zealous whip of a jockey in white silks. ADVERTISEMENT A small crowd of spectators at Baghdad's Equestrian Club cheered as they moved towards the winner's enclosure. Others sauntered over to collect their winnings or pored over the list of runners in the next race, featuring contenders named Lover, Cordoba and Sharqiya. There were just a few hundred enthusiasts gathered at Iraq's only horse racing track on one recent afternoon, perhaps reflecting that gambling of any kind is a pleasure forbidden by Islam. The track in the west of the city has nevertheless been open almost continuously for more than 80 years. It has survived a litany of wars, foreign invasions, religious edicts ordering its closure, and most recently, persevered through the black years of sectarian violence in Baghdad in the wake of the 2003 US-led invasion. But while the Iraqi capital was mired in terrifying conflict tantamount to civil war between Shiites and Sunni Arabs, forcing the closure of clubs and other places of entertainment, the track, incredibly, shut only briefly. "This is the only place in the country where you can find national unity," joked Mohammed Baha, the track's security chief. The former state-operated club, now owned by a consortium of Shiite and Sunni businessmen, had to close for three months in the immediate aftermath of the collapse of Saddam Hussein's regime six years ago. It endured looting and also a fire. State subsidies were cancelled overnight, and the club found itself facing bankruptcy when horse owners and managers came to the rescue, general secretary Taleb Abdul Hussein said. "After the collapse of the regime horse owners and track council members began to finance the club on their own. Now it is better, not great, but better," said Hussein, who has worked in racing for 40 years. Although gambling is not allowed under Islam, Hussein credits support from the racing community for the club's ability to survive the tough times. "The current government is more religiously conservative, so they are not willing to support us," said Hussein, adding that club revenues come to about 32 million dinars (27,600 dollars) a month. "But we are a very small and very close community -- racing. Built through its relationships we persevered through our own friendships, resolving problems on our own." Despite the Middle East's centuries-old tradition of horsemanship, course racing in Iraq only dates back to 1920s, when it was introduced by British colonialists, and grew to be popular with the rich and famous. Dictator Saddam was particularly fond of horses. According to Mohsin Abed Hussein, the former veterinary surgeon for the stable of Saddam's 150 horses, the executed leader was the "best horseman in the family." His son Uday, on the other hand, showed scant interest in the sport despite being the president of the Equestrian Club. "It was a ceremonial post. Uday didn't come once to the track," said Saad al-Jaburi, a retired army general who is the club's chief steward. The club's fortunes were however already waning by 1995, when Iraq's ravaged state coffers were feeling the full effect of UN sanctions. The sun set on the country's golden age of racing long ago, many trainers and jockeys say. "The racing in the 1970s was fantastic compared to now," said Qaduri Hamid Mohammed, 72, the trainer of Rose of Ali and a string of champion mounts. "The quality of people in attendance was great, and the racing was so well organised with many delegations coming from abroad. Horse racing was well respected and it was upper class," he said. "Now it's really chaotic -- anyone can just approach the track. And the course is made of dust instead of the grass there used to be." Mohammed's jockey, Firas Majeed, 32, who will add 100,000 dinars to his 80,000 dinar a month salary for riding the five-year-old European thoroughbred to victory, nevertheless agreed that times are very tough. "We used to have good salaries, insurance, cars, flats but now we have nothing," he said. Email Story IM Story Printable View Blog This Sign in to recommend this article » 0 users recommend Related Articles: Entertainment & Lifestyle Britney Spears' `Circus' tour to return to USAP - 1 hour 18 minutes ago US-ENTERTAINMENT SummaryReuters - 1 hour 49 minutes ago Acts flock to Edinburgh Fringe despite recessionReuters - 1 hour 49 minutes ago Alan Jackson celebrates 20 years with free showAP - 2 hours 26 minutes ago Tornatore to open Venice film festivalReuters - 2 hours 37 minutes ago Enlarge Photo Jockeys race their horses at the Equestrian club in Baghdad, Iraq's only horse racing track has been open almost continuously for more than 80 years Most Popular – Entertainment Viewed German retail giant goes bust, 43,000 jobs at risk Carradine may have died from sex act: Thai police President Obama's French food tested by 'taster' Susan Boyle out of London clinic: brother 10 banks cleared to repay US Treasury 68 bln dlrs View Complete List » Search: Home Singapore Asia Pacific World Business Entertainment Sports Technology Top Stories Most Popular Copyright © 2009 Yahoo! 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