LAHORE, Nov 7: Five-year-old chestnut mare Neptune Fancy galloped away to claim third race in the most impressive manner during the mid-week Lahore Gymkhana races at the Racecourse on Wednesday. It was easily the best performance of the afternoon.
This race, like all other five events, was run over the sprinting distance of six furlongs.
Neptune Fancy is the daughter of Neptune Court-out-of-Mix Up and she registered her first victory of the current Lahore racing season. Her success delighted her owner Makhdoomzada Hasan Raza and the favourite-backers alike.
She defeated the bay filly Lucky Lass by nine lengths on tight reigns. The grey gelding Sarafaan finished third three-and-a-quarter lengths further behind while the bay gelding Sugar Daddy completed the frame, another two-and-a-quarter lengths back. In all, 16 ran for the event. Neptune Fancy was the centre of attraction for the punters at 40 to 100 odds.
Ridden by jockey Majid Khan, Neptune Fancy is trained by Al Berooni.
In feature event, the fancied blue roan colt Afnan won with a superb burst of speed, holding off a strong challenge from the chestnut colt Mon Soon. Afnan crossed the winning post, narrowly beating Mon Soon by half-a-length in this sixth and last race of the day.
The bay filly Iram State finished third one-and-a-quarter lengths further behind while the bay gelding Fight Again just managed to hit the board, about two lengths further back.
Only 14 ran for the event after the last-minute withdrawal of Wing Commander and Taj-ul-Mulk.
The Lahore Race Club (LRC) stewards fined a dozen riding boys Rs 1500, each, in the first race for not allowing their mounts to run on merit. Those, with mounts’ names in brackets, are:
Khalid Hussain (Gondal Badshah), Faisal (Grey Matter), Khalid (The Kundan), Qasim Shah (Jack Kallis), Khalil Vikky (Calypso Dancer), Khalid Jan (Majestic Prince), Parvez Bhatty (Bach Fly), M. Bilal (Sweet Grandy), A. Imran (Balli), Azhar Hussain (Power Star) and M. Hussain (Talk Of The Town).
Punters had a rather happy day because four favourites obliged in a card of six events.
The following are the results:
SIBI PLATE CLASS VII DIVISION VIII (B) 6 FURS:
Golden Wings (Amjad Ali II) 8-8 Kamran Hussain 1. Martina Baby 7-11 M. Nawaz (II) 2. Always Inn 8-3 A. Aziz 3. Shoot To Kill 7-10 Nadeem Ikram 4. (Only 16 ran).
Won by 4 1/4 L, 2 1/2 L, 1/2 L.
Time one minute 22 2/5 seconds.
Winner trained by the owner.
SIBI PLATE CLASS VII DIVISION VII (C) & VIII 6 FURS:
City By Night (M. Humayun Iqbal) 9-0 M. Atif 2. Last Love 8-1 Qamar Zaman 2. One Touch 8-1 M. Hussain 3. Ever Smiling 8-7 Khalil Vikky 4. (Only 16 ran).
Won by 1 1/4 L, 1 1/2 L, 1 L
Time one minute 22 1/5 seconds.
Winner trained by Mohammad Afzal.
SIBI PLATE CLASS VII DIVISION VII (B) 6 FURS:
Neptune Fancy (Makhdoomzada Hasan Raza) 8-4 Majid Khan 1. Lucky Lass 8-12 Azeem Pervaiz 2. Sarafaan 8-4 Mujahid Ali (II) 3. Sugar Dady 8-10 M. A. Khan 4. (Only 16 ran).
Won by 9 L, 3 1/4 L, 2 1/4 L.
Time one minute 22 4/5 seconds.
Winner trained by Al Berooni.
SIBI PLATE CLASS VII DIVISION VI (B) & VII 6 FURS:
Mr Bond (Saulat Ali) 8-9 Mujahid Ali (II) 1. Aao Payar Se 8-12 M. Atif 2. Rehmat Ka Phool 8-10 Khalid Jan 3. Lucky Ever 9-0 Wajid Hussain 4. (Only 16 ran).
Won by 7 1/4 L, 3 1/2 L, 3/4 L.
Time one minute 20 2/5 seconds.
SIBI PLATE CLASS VII DIVISION V (B) & VI 6 FURS:
Morning Glory (Fawad Ahmed Cheema) 8-6 Kamran 1. Russain Pet 7-11 A. Aziz 2. High Mark 7-11 M. Imran 3. Seven Spades 8-9 Khalid Hussain (II) 4. (Only 15 ran).
Won by Neck, 6 L, 6 1/4 L.
Time one minute 20 2/5 seconds.
Winner trained by Mohammad Amin.
SIBI PLATE CLASS VII DIVISION IV & V 6 FURS:
Afnan (Mohammad Yaqoob) 8-10 Wajid Hussain 1. Mon Soon 8-13 Qamar Zaman 2. Iram State 7-10 Zulfiqar Hussain 3. Fight Again 8-3 M. Atif 4. (Only 14 ran).