February 14, 2002	Thursday	Zilhaj 1, 1422

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LAHORE, Feb 13: Four-year-old bay colt, Top Choice, sprang a big surprise to win the feature event run over six furlongs during the mid-week Lahore Gymkhana races at the Racecourse Wednesday.

Fancied bay Blu’s Wendy , once again faltered and failed to match the big strides of Top Choice and had to be content with second spot, three lengths further behind. Chestnut gelding Aao Payar Se ran a good race to finish third. This was Blu’s Wendy fourth successive defeat within a month. In all, 17 ran for this sixth and last race of the day.

Top Choice who was piloted by the riding boy A. Aziz and is trained by M. Hanif registered his maiden victory today.

A race earlier, Chestnut Rukhsh sprinted home determinedly to win the supporting event run over the identical distance. He beat Iram State by almost a distance. Morning Glory and Saroop Ji completed the frame among 15 runners.

The odds-on favourite Silver Heart showed a vast improvement bagging the fourth event in a run away style to make it two in-a-row. She beat another filly Giseless comfortably by three lengths. Rim Jim and Keep In Step finished third and fourth among 16 starters.

The 40 to 100 favourite bay colt, Cape Town, who had previously been disappointing his connections struck form and coasted home ahead of the field in the third race. In a late burst of speed Cape Town defeated Den See by a big margin of about seven lengths.

In a fine front-running display, Science Fiction, ran a spirited race to win the second race. Running along the rails the bay gelding Science Fiction shot into lead right from the start to land the spoils at attractive odds.

In the opener, dark bay colt Beena Roy Baby with the jockey Shehzad Iqbal in saddle beat front-running Lot Of Thanks by a neck on the finishing post to justify his 40 to 100 favouritism. Sweet Victory and Royal Stake made up the frame among 16 runners.

In a card of six events, all run over the sprinting distance of six furlongs, favourites were to the fore in three races.

The stewards have advanced by a day the Lahore Winter Meeting to be held on Sunday which will now be held on Saturday due to Ba