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LAHORE, Sept 1: Fancied runners once again dominated the proceedings when a card of five events went through during the Lahore Gymkhana races at the Racecourse Sunday.
This was for the second consecutive day that the favourite backers reaped rich harvest. Right from the opener in which the even-money favourite Skipper made short work of his eleven rivals, the punters were on the receiving ends throughout the afternoon.
Owned and trained by yesteryear champion rider Iqbal Bostan, gelding Skipper beat Cape Town by one-and-a-quarter lengths. Jehandar finished third, four lengths further behind while Tiger’s Wood completed the board, another six lengths back.
Cape Town and Jehandar were slow to take start and when they straightened themselves Skipper had almost pocketed the race. Not only he obliged punters but also set the pace for the favourites to follow the victory path.
The five to four favourite Puma Star, with Shahid Rehman astride won the second race of the day defeating Track Star. Senna and Royal Bullet completed the frame among thirteen runners. This was his second successive win.
The 30 to 100 odds-on favourite bay colt Lucky Shot after a long absence from the course won the third race easily.
He defeated Asif Love by three-and-a-half lengths to stamp his superiority. The other six runners in this race looked as if they were there just to make the field and finished far way.
Fancied blue Roan colt Haseen Love came from far behind to pip the front-runner Golden Wings near the finishing post and win the fourth and supporting event to steal the show as best performer of the day.
This was colt’s third consecutive win under his regular partner in saddle jockey Majid Khan. Star Gate and Lucky Credit Queen finished third and fourth, respectively. In all, 11 ran for the event after the last minute withdrawal of Imagine If.
Half-money favourite bay horse Half Love won the feature event.
Ridden by jockey Khurrum Sheikh the winner was in front right from the start. He continued to draw away from the pack and at one stage was leading by about eight lengths. He finally beat Polo Gambler by four lengths. Gambling Girl and Democracy completed the frame staggering far way in the same order.
Half Love’s victory was a striving display of courage and consistency. He has never been out of place in his half a dozen previous runnings.
Following are the results:
KHANEWAL PLATE CLASS VII DIV VI & VII 1000M:
Skipper (M. I. Bostan) 8-2 A. Imran 1. Cape Town 9-0 Mohsin Ali 2. Jehandar 8-7 M. Hanif 3. Tiger’s Wood 7-10 Shahid Mustafa 4.
Won by 1 1/4 L, 4 L, 6 L.
Time one minute 5 seconds.
Winner trained by the owner.
KHANEWAL PLATE CLASS VII DIV IV 1000M :
Puma Star (Toheed Manzoor) 8-10 Shahid Rehman 1. Track Star 8-11 Mohsin Ali 2. Senna 8-10 A. Aziz 3. Royal Bullet 8-11 M. Nawaz (II) 4.
Won by 2 3/4 L, Neck, 2 1/4 L.
Time one minute 4 3/5 seconds.
Winner trained by Sohail Aziz.
KHANEWAL PLATE CLASS VII DIV III 1000M :
Lucky Shot (Naeem-ud-Din Warraich) 8-2 Shahid Mustafa 1. Asif Love 8-6 M. Faisal 2. Royal Prosper 9-0 M. Zeeshan 3. Silk Route 8-6 Niaz Ahmad 4.
Won by 3 1/2 L, 4 3/4 L, 8 L.
Time one minute 3 2/5 seconds.
Winner trained by Raja Tehmasab Khan.
KHANEWAL PLATE CLASS VII DIV I & II 1000M:
Haseen Love (Arif Mahmood Butt) 7-10 Majid Khan 1. Golden Wings 7-10 A. Imran 2. Star Gate 9-6 Shahid Rehman 3. Lucky Credit Queen 7-13 Javed Iqbal 4.
Won by 2 1/4 L, 2 1/2 L, 1 L.
Time one minute 2 4/5 seconds.
Winner trained by Mohammed Afzal.
CHICHAWATNI PLATE CLASS DIV IV & V 1000M:
Half Love (Choudhry Mumtaz Ahmad Doga) 10-4 Khurrum Sheikh 1. Polo Gambler 7-10 M. Zeeshan 2. Gambling Girl 10-4 Majid Khan 3. Democracy 7-10 Mubarik Ali 4.
Won by 4 L, 3 1/4 L, Distance.
Winner trained by Rashid Latif.
