January 6, 2003	Monday	Ziqa’ad 2, 1423

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LAHORE, Jan 5: Three-year-old bay filly, Fair Play crowned an easy success in the feature event to bag the New Year Cup during the Lahore Winter Meeting at the Racecourse on Sunday.

Fair Play, whose reputation was dented by a lacklustre performance after her defeat last week, when she finished second behind Theatre’s Breeze, showed vast improvement clocking one minute 0 3/5 seconds over the sprinting distance of 1000 metres.

Superbly ridden by jockey Shahid Rehman in a start-to-finish style the filly was backed with confidence by connections at two to one second favourite. She avenged her defeat from Theatre’s Dream defeating her by a big margin of seven-and-a-half lengths on Sunday. Fancied Naseeb finished third by a short-head, after nosing out stablemate Muqadar to fourth position. In all, six ran for the event, which is considered the first milestone in the career of three-year-old colts and fillies.

The fourth and supporting event, the Christmas Cup run over 1000 metres was won by fancied colt Blue Dawn, who came from last to finish first. As the gates opened Blue Dawn trailed the field of 13 runners. With a brilliant flash of speed Blue Dawn fled past runners one by one and finally beat front-running bay mare Show Counting by three-fourth of a length at the finishing line. Chief Executive finished third, another three lengths behind with Flame, a close fourth.

Backed at even-money favourite Blue Dawn was also ridden by jockey Shahid Rehman, who received spontaneous applause from the crowd.

Jockey Shahid Rehman once again gave a dazzling display of horsemanship when he sailed home four winners in a row. He first rode home Fair Play in the New Year Cup and then followed it with successive victories on Red Storm, Blue Dawn and Flight Alert in the third, fourth and fifth race, respectively, to end the day in a blaze of glory. He was unlucky to be beaten by Prime Force in the opener by one and three-quarters of a length.

The LRC stewards cancelled the sixth and last race , anticipating lack of true competition.

Trainer Amjad Ali II excelled among trainers. He saddled three winners Prime Force, Fair Play and Flight Alert in the first, second and fifth race, respectively.

Flight Alert who strode to grab the fifth race was the best performer of the day. He posted the fourth consecutive win of his career on Sunday. All his victories have come within a period of one month only.

Results:

CHRISTMAS CUP CLASS VII DIV II 1000M:
 
 Prime Force (Sohrab Khan) 7-12 M. Hanif 1. Silver Charm 8-12 Shahid Rehman 2. Canwara 8-9 Aamar Parvez 3. Lucky Credit Queen 8-5 Majid Khan 4.
 
 Won by 1 3/4 L, 3 1/4 L, 1 1/4 L.
 
 Time one minute 2 2/5 seconds.
 
 Winner trained by Amjad Ali II.
   NEW YEAR CUP, A TERM RACE FOR THREE-YEAR-OLD COLTS AND FILLIES. 1000M:
 
 Fair Play (Bilal Khan) 8-1 Shahid Rehman 1. Theatre’s Breeze 8-9 Salah-ud-Din (II) 2. Naseeb 8-12 Aamar Parvez 3. Muqadar 8-12 Qamar Zaman 4.
 
 Won by 7 1/2 L, short-head, Neck.
 
 Time one minute 0 3/5 seconds.
 
 Winner trainer by Amjad Ali II.
 
  RIWAT PLATE CLASS IV DIV I 1600M:
 
 Red Storm 8-6 Shahid Rehman 1. Dizzy Height 8-8 Salah-ud-Din (II) 2. Millennium Count 8-1 Aamar Parvez 3. Shannel 8-10 Qamar Zaman 4.
 
 Won by 3/4 L, 2 L, 5 L.
 
 Time one minute 41 1/5 seconds.
 
 Winner trained by Memraiz Khan.
 
CHRISTMAS CUP CLASS V DIV I 1000M:
 
 Blue Dawn (Yaqoob Sheikh) 9-0 Shahid Rehman 1. Show Counting 8-12 Salah-ud-Din (II) 2. Chief Executive 8-1 Aamar Parvez 3. Flame 8-9 Qamar Zaman 4.
 
 Won by 1/2 L, 3 L, 1 1/4 L.
 
 Time one minute 1 1 4/5 seconds.
 
 Winner trained by Mian Javaid.
 
  RIWAT PLATE CLASS IV DIV I 1000M:
 
 Flight Alert (Amjad Ali II) 9-0 Shahid Rehman 2. Mahnoor 9-0 Qamar Zaman 2. Heart’s Beat 7-11 Mubarik Ali 3. Cess Pool 8-0 M. Hanif 4.
 
 Won by 1 1/2 L, Distance, 2 L.
 
 Time one minute 14 2/5 seconds.
 
 Winner trained by the owner.
 
 Attock Plate Class VII Div A 1000m:
 
 (Race Cancelled).