LAHORE, March 31: Fancied bay mare Fanim swiftly galloped home to win the Ghazali Cup during the 24th Lahore Winter Meeting at the Racecourse Sunday.
The Ghazali Cup was a class IV & V combined handicap race and fourth of the afternoon. The event competed by ten contestants was run over the sprinting distance of six furlongs.
Fanim was piloted by riding boy Faisal and clocked one minute 13 seconds over the distance.
As the gates opened, dark-bay horse Popeye hit the front with Fanim running at fourth spot. After entering into the straight, Fanim sailed past Popeye in the last furlong to register the victory by half-a-length over Popeye.
The late-rushing bay horse Admiral’s Way, despite carrying nine stones 12 pounds handicap, finished third one-and-three-quarters length back while the chestnut Great Grandy completed the frame, another two lengths further behind.
Earlier, in the Shah Kot Plate class VII division I & II combined race, which was supporting event and third of the afternoon, victory went to Bureaucrat. He is a fine bay colt trained by M. Bashir. The event was run over six furlongs. Bureaucrat was piloted by the jockey Javed Iqbal, who beat the roan mare Dilnasheen II by six lengths. Dilnasheen II led the field from start but went lame before passing the winning post and had to be content with the second position.
The chestnut filly Flame and the chestnut horse Better Case finished third and fourth, respectively. In all, eleven contested the race.
Riding boy Qamar Zaman excelled among the riders as he brought in a brace of winners through Royal Strength and Martial Law in the fifth and sixth events, respectively. Qamar Zaman’s sailing on Martial Law was particularly a treat to watch.
He brought Martial Law from a far behind position and pipped Blu’s Wendy on the finishing post, stunning jockey Shahid Rehman, who was sure of a victory on Blu’s Wendy.
Trainer Zahid Khan saddled two winners. He first sent out Royal Prosper in the opener and later Royal Strength in the fifth event.
The stewards suspended riders M. Jehangir and Parvez Bhatty for one month, each, for not obeying the orders of the LRC stipendiary steward and the starter.
Results
SHAH KOT PLATE CLASS VII DIVISION IV B & V 5 FURS:
Royal Strength (Makhdoom Syed Ali Raza Shah) 9-3 A. Imran 1. Blu’s Eye 8-8 Mubarik Ali 2. Star Gate 9-4 Mujahid Ali (II) 3. Royal Speed 8-6 Kamran 4. (12 ran).
Won by Head, 1 3/4 L, Neck.
Time one minute 2 2/5 seconds.
Winner trained by Zahid Khan.
SHAH KOT PLATE CLASS VII DIVISION V 5 FURS:
Zargar (M. Shafiq Sadiq) 9-0 M. A. Khan 1. Special Dream 8-6 A. Aziz 2. Sea Cadet 8-1 M. Jehangir 3. Time To Lead 8-13 Majid Khan 4. (All 15 ran).
Won by 1 1/4 L, 3 1/4 L, 2 1/2 L.
Time one minute 3 1/5 seconds.
Winner trained by Memraiz Khan.
SHAH KOT PLATE CLASS VII DIVISION I & II 6 FURS:
Bureaucrat (Mohammad Bashir) 7-10 Javed Iqbal 1. Dilnasheen II 9-1 Majid Khan 2. Flame 8-4 Qamar Zaman 3. Better Case 8-7 Nazir Ahmad 4. (All 11 ran).
Won by 6 L, 1 1/4 L, 3 1/4 L.
Time one minute 13 4/5 seconds.
Winner trained by the owner.
GHAZALI CUP CLASS IV & V 6 FURS:
Fanim (Syed Parvez Hussain Shah) 9-7 Faisal 1. Popeye 8-5 Qamar Zaman 2. Admiral’s Way 9-12 Majid Khan 3. Great Grandy 9-0 Khurrum Sheikh 4. (ten ran).
Won by 1/2 L, 1 3/4 L, 2 L.
Time one minute 13 seconds.
Winner trained by Tanveer Aslam.
SHAH KOT PLATE CLASS VII DIVISION IV 5 FURS:
Royal Strength (Makhdoom Syed Raza Shah) 8-8 Qamar Zaman 1. Navahoo Princess 9-0 Khalil Vicky 2. Puma Star 8-13 A. Imran 3. Lucky Credit Queen 8-13 Shahzad Iqbal 4. (All 11 ran).
Won by 5 L, 4 L, 1 1/4 L.
Time one minute 1 3/5 seconds.
Winner trained by Zahid Khan.
SHAH KOT PLATE CLASS VII DIVISION III 5 FURS:
Martial Law (Mohammad Afzal) 8-9 Qamar Zaman 1. Blu’s Wendy 9-5 Shahid Rehman 2. The Conqueror 7-10 Javed Iqbal 3. Golden Road 8-0 M. Hussain 4. (Only ten ran).