LAHORE, Jan 4: Bay colt Naseeb, who registered an easy victory on his last run, should lift the New Year Cup to be contested over the sprinting distance of 1000 metres during the Lahore Winter Meeting at the Racecourse on Sunday.
He is contesting in the second event featuring a card of six events in the term race for three-year-old Pakistani colts and fillies.
Among six runners left in after the final forfeit on Saturday, besides Naseeb, there are two other speedsters among colts, namely, Muqaddar and Fair Play, who are on chance.
The supporting event, the Christmas Cup, a class V handicap race, having 13 runners barring last-minute withdrawals seems to be an open affair. If handicap and past performances are any yardstick three of the contestants are on chance. They are: Blue Dawn, Show Counting and Chief Executive.
The first named has an edge over the others. This will be the fourth race in racing order. Its distance will be 1000 metres. Another cup event, the Muzaffar Abad Cup, a class II and III handicap race, to have gone over 1600 metres has been declared void due to paucity of runners.
After the scratching on Saturday only four runners were left in the field and according to the Lahore Race Club (LRC) rules, the event had to be cancelled. For Sunday’s races the LRC issued a revised edition of handicaps on Saturday superseding earlier version released two days earlier on Thursday.
Four events will be contested over 1000 metres while one each over 1200 metres and 1600 metres. The first race will be held at 12.30 pm.
Following are the fields and our selections:
Attock Plate Class VII Div I 1000m:
Triple M 9-0 Feel The Freedom 9-0 8-13 Qaswa Princess 8-13 Prince Khurrum 8-13 Black Nigeria 8-8 Silver Heart 8-8 Caspian Queen 8-8 Casper 8-8 Qandhar 8-8 Knock First and Welcome Pachino 8-8.
Win: Triple M. Place: Silver Heart and Prince Khurrum.
New Year Cup, a term race for three-year-old Pakistani colts
and fillies. 1000m:
Muqaddar 8-12 Naseeb 8-12 Theatre’s Breeze ( former Desert
Lady) 8-9 Bold Venture 8-9 Fair Play 8-1 and Guys And Dolls 8-1.
Win: Naseeb. Place: Muqaddar and Fair Play.
Christmas Cup Class V Div II 1000m
Dahis Again 9-0 Silver Charm 8-13 Decent Fellow 8-10 Skipper 8-10 Gurali Queen 8-10 Canwara 8-9 Roman Charger 8-5 Lucky Credit Queen 8-5 Hot Spell 8-4 Prime Force 7-12 Riaz Love 7-12 and In Command 7-12.
Christmas Cup Class V Div I 1000m:
Thunder Storm 9-0 Blue Dawn 9-0 Storm Bird 8-12 Show Counting 8-12 Flame 8-9 Star Gate 8-9 Moment To Moment 8-6 Rukhtas Again 8-1 Chief Executive 8-1 Al Ailan 7-13 Puma Star 7-13 Venture Maid 7-13 Time Is Gold 7-10.
Win: Blue Dawn. Place: Show Counting and Chief Executive.
Fifth race:
Riwat Plate Class IV Div II 1200m:
Mahnoor 9-0 Flight Again 9-0 On On 8-1 Dynasty 8-0 Cess Pool 8-0 Swivelling Styly 8-0 Charming Boy 8-0 Heart’s Beat 7-11 and Sun Princess 7-11.
Win: Flight Alert. Place: Mahnoor and On On.
Riwat Plate Class IV Div I 1600m:
One Against All 9-0 Shannel 8-10 Dizzy Height 8-8 Red Storm 8-6 Millennium Count 8-1 and Four Aces 8-0.