LAHORE, Nov 13: Puma Star, a roan colt, sprang a surprise to win the feature event run over the sprinting distance of five furlongs by a length at the Lahore Racecourse on Tuesday.
The fancied chestnut colt Zargar, who led the field ran out of gas in last 100 metres and finished second. The bay filly Iram State occupied the third place, one-and-a-quarter lengths further behind while Dane Hill Dancer completed the frame, two lengths further away.
In all, 16 ran for this sixth and last event of the day. The winner clocked one minute 5 3/5 seconds over the sandy track.
Mr Bond, who was joint favourite with Zargar, failed to even appear on the board. His performance under the riding boy Mujahid Ali II left much to be desired.
The punters had an upper hand when four favourites obliged in a card of six events, all contested over five furlongs.
In a fine front-running display the fancied Grey Matter ran a spirited race to win the opener. Running along the rails the grey mare shot into the lead right from the start and maintained the advantage till the finishing post and win by a comfortable margin of four lengths from late rushing Majestic Prince.
Even-money Nick Knight, the odds-on favourite Deep River and the short-priced bay mare Madam Lorina followed the example set by Grey Matter to the great delight of punters. However, the five to one Mohni Road and Seven to two Puma Star were the unpopular victors.
The day’s honours went to trainer Akhtar Mir, who saddled a brace of winners. He sent in Nick Knight in the second race and Madam Lorina in the fifth race to complete the only double of the afternoon.
The Lahore Race Club stewards suspended the riding licence of jockey Aamar Pervaiz for two months for not riding out on merit his mount Aao Payar Se in the fourth race. The chestnut gelding, Aao Payar Se was a firm favourite and to great surprise of the backers, he ran off the frame.
The following are the results:
MALIR PLATE CLASS VII DIVISION VIII (B) 5 FURS:
Grey Matter (Syed Parvez Hussain Shah) 9-1 Faisal 1. Majestic Prince 7-12 Khalid Jan 2. Lucky Love 7-10 Mahmood Ali 3. Miss Pecasso 7-10 M. Faisal 4. (Only 15 ran).
Won by 4 L, 1 1/4 L, 1 1/4 L.
Time one minute 8 seconds.
Winner trained by Tauqeer Ahmad.
Malir Plate Class VII Division VII (C) & VIII 5 Furs:
Nick Knight (Mohammad Ibrahim) 8-10 M. Imran 1. Lucky Super Market 8-13 Nazir Ahmad 2. Nijinsky 7-13 M. Jehangir 3. Ever Smiling 8-1 Mujahid Ali (II) 4. (Only 15 ran).
Won by 2 L, 3 1/2 L, Neck.
Time one minute 7 seconds.
MALIR PLATE CLASS VII DIVISION VII (B) 5 FURS:
Deep River (Zaheer Aslam) 7-10 Nadeem Ikram 1. Golden Wings 7-11 Kamran Hussain 2. Darling Of The Royalty 8-11 M. Hanif 3. lucky Lass 8-13 Mahmood Ali 4. (Only 16 ran).
Won by 1/2 L, 3 1/2 L, Distance.
Time one minute 5 1/5 seconds.
Winner trained by Tanveer Aslam.
MALIR PLATE CLASS VII DIVISION VI & VIII 5 FURS:
Mohni Road (Mohammad Amin) 7-10 Kamran 1. Great Bakht 8-0 Nazir Ahmad 2. Must Lady 7-12 Azhar Hussain 3. Rehmat Ka Phool 8-9 M. Jehangir 4. (Only 14 ran).
Won by 2 1/4 L, Neck, Neck.
Time one minute 6 3/5 seconds.
Winner trained by the owner.
MALIR PLATE CLASS VII DIVISION V & VI 5 FURS:
Madam Lorina (Nayyar Abbas Zaidi) 7-10 1. Senna 8-12 Waqas Sheikh 2. Fight Again 9-3 M. Atif 3. Russain Pet 7-13 M. Nazir (II) 4. (Only 16 ran).
Won by Head, Neck, 1 3/4 L.
Time one minute 6 4/5 seconds.
Winner trained by Akhtar Mir.
MALIR PLATE CLASS VII DIVISION IV & V 5 FURS:
Puma Star (Toheed Manzur) 9-2 Shahid Mustafa 1. Zargar 9-0 Nadeem Ikram 2. Iram State 7-13 Zulfiqar Hussain 3. Dane Hill Dancer 8-5 Azeem Pervaiz 4. (Only 16 ran).