05 December 2004	Sunday	22 Shawwal 1425

KARACHI, Dec 4: Fantastic filly The First Lady, should also add the Quaid-i-Azam Trial Cup to her string of trophies, when the main event gets under way at the Karachi Racecourse on Sunday.

With nine highly bred horses contending for the spoils going over the gruelling distance of 10 furlongs, the Tanuf-First Lady sibling, winning eight of her last nine starts with leading jockey M. Nasir in the saddle, should be challenged all the way by M.R. Hussain's chestnut filly Jugni having the services of Tariq Mehmood, presently lying second with 25 winners on the jockeys championship table and the game Wonder Thunder, to be partnered this time by M. Kashif.

Also in the race is bay colt Blues Traveller, who as a three-year-old smashed the Pakistan record going over six furlongs in Lahore, clocking an amazing time of one minute 11 1/5 sec on tight reins.

After picking up the 2000 Guineas in Karachi, Blues Traveller has been hit by a series of injuries and has not raced for over a year. However this highly bred colt from Shareek out of Persian Star is tracking well and it will be interesting to see how this bay colt performs on Sunday.

Also in the race is last year's popular winner Charkh Bareen carrying 9-4 with Salim Ahmed on her back, along with Captain Crash, another entry from Faisal Farooq's stable.

A card of 10 races have been drawn up for the hectic Sunday afternoon's programme.

Four events will be held over five furlongs, three over six, two over seven and the main event over 10 furlongs.

The first race begins at 12.00 noon.

The Nearco Stakes and the Colts and Fillies Trials will be the other two trophies up for grabs.

The Nearco Stakes will be the fifth race on the afternoon's card and will be contested over six furlongs by nine two-year-old Pakistani colts and fillies. Chuppa Rustum beaten by Harry Potter on his last appearance will now be piloted by Raees Ahmed and is fancied in these columns to edge out the lion hearted Jawan Bakht and Queen Of Sanghar.

With only seven runners in the field for the Colts and Fillies Trials going over seven furlongs, handsome dark bay colt Black Pearl, winning his last five events on the trot, is fancied in these columns to triumph again although penalised to carry 9-4 on his back.

Black Pearl will resume his old rivalry in the seventh race with the bay colt Vieto and promising thoroughbred bay colt Hunter Valley, constant thorns in the side of Black Pearl, seeking his sixth victory in a row. However the real danger should come through three-year-old bay filly Fantastic Face and Hunter Valley.

In the first event, Bank Manager is fancied to make amends for his last two outings and pass the winning post ahead of Flying Prince and Baby Tabassum. But then again, the speedy Ghouri lying in the shadows, could upset the applecart.

Bay mare Ultimate Victory could make it two winners in a row for her owner, chased all the way over the five furlong journey by On The Run and Tom Cruise, with Piyari Mehbooba providing the elemet of surprise.

Sonia, with a good lad astride, is on song to pick up the spoils in the following event, with Golden Voice, Raj Kumar and Sea Hawk joining the fray.

The fourth race on the afternoon's programme should witness Metro get the better of Trust Me and Brave Foot after a keen tussle.

Penny and Lucky Again, were both engaged in a dead heat last Sunday going over six furlongs, and going over the same distance the thoroughbred bay mare should complete her hattrick of victories, leaving Lucky Again and Casanova to battle it out for the two place chances in the sixth.

Hoor-e-Mehran after a long absence ended the winning streak of Naeem Love on Sunday in her last stride with M. Nasir aboard. Taking that run into consideration, the bay mare should get the better of Donatello in the eighth event, with only six runners in the field.

Bay colt Canon Strides was beaten on Sunday by Spy Queen after completing a hat trick of successes. However, Canon Strides should make amends and resume her winning ways, after collaring the speedy Swivelling Styly and Killer Instincts in the concluding event of the day.

Following is the field and our selections:

RASHIDI PLATE CLASS IX DIV G-IV & V 5F

Flying Prince 9-1, Sachin 9-0, Just In Fun 9-0, Bank Manager 8-9, Ghouri 8-9, Royal Beauty 8-4, Baby Tabassum 7-13, Afzaal Prince 7-10, Little Sunny 7-10, Reasonable 7-10, and Even Top 7-10.

Win: Bank Manager

Place: Flying Prince & Baby Tabassum.

Upset: Ghouri.

RASHIDI PLATE CLASS IX DIV G-III 5F

Jaguar 9-1, Azam The Great 8-13, Sea Biscuit 8-12, Ladla 8-11, I'm So Happy 8-11, Ultimate Victory 8-10, Lot Of Thanks 8-10 Tom Cruise 8-10, Shanoo (Late Rani Mukherjee ) 8-9, Laural 8-8, On The Run 8-8, Piyari Mehbooba 8-7, Rehmat Hi Rehmat 8-7, Raaz 8-6, Baby Raysham 8-6, Dauntless 8-5, First Shot 8-3, Mark 8-2,and Tag Team 7-13.

Win: Ultimate Victory

Place: On he Run & Tom Cruise.

Upset: Pirayi Mehboob.

RASHIDI PLATE CLASS IX DIV G-II 5F

Sky Hawk 9-3, Sonia 9-2, Mera Jugnoo 9-0, Auzy 8-13, Smokey Prince 8-13, The Cleopatra 8-12, Jallali 8-12, Some Time 8-9, Lucky Seven 8-8, Pehlwan Choice 8-6, Silver City 8-6, Raj Kumar 8-5, High Light 8-4, Neelam Taab 8-3, Mera Naseeb 7-13, Golden Voice 7-11, Decent Gold 7-11 and Canon Love 7-10.

Win: Sonia

Place: Golden Voice & Raj Kumar.

RASHIDI PLATE CLASS IX DIV G-I 5F

Metro 8-12, Paint Me Proud 8-8, Speedy 8-8, Trust Me 8-7, Chaleswan Chur 8-5, Aie Bahar 8-2, Brave Foot 7-12, Clapping 7-11 and Scarface 7-10.

Win: Metro

Place: Trust Me & Brave Foot.

NEARCO STAKES 6F

Handicap race for two year-old Pakistani colts and fillies)

Chuppa Rustam 8-11 (Raees Ahmed), Queen Of Sanghar 8-8 (M. Nasir), Jawan Bakht 8-4 (M. Manzoor), Super Salute 8-4 (Mujahid Ali), Terrorist 8-4 (Arshad), Fantasia 8-1 (Muzaffar Hussain), Miss Maree 8-1 (Najam Iqbal, Sababeel 8-1 Tariq Mehmood and Summer Wine 8-1 (M. Yousuf).

RASHIDI PLATE CLASS IX DIV VII 6F

Trust You 9-1, Your Pleasure 9-0, Gullu's Government 8-11, Flying Bird 8-10, Shane Bond 8-10, Nasrun 8-9, Penny 8-8, Right In Front 8-8, Eye Lady 8-6, Lucky Again 8-6, Casanova 8-4, Bold Commander 8-0 and Zero To Hero 8-0.

Win: Penny

Place: Lucky Again & Casanova.

COLTS & FILLIES TRIAL CUP 7F

Handicap races for three-year-old Pakistan bred colts and fillies.

Black Pearl 9-4, (Tariq Mehmood), King Of Sanghar 9-4,(Tariq Baran), Vieto 9-1, (Sher Mohammad), Hunter Valley 8-13 (Raees Ahmed), Naeem Love 8-13 (M. Yousuf), Fantastic Face 8-12 (Arshad) and Spy Queen 8-12 M. Nasir).

Win: Black Pearl

Place: Fantastic Face

Upset: Hunter Valley.

RASHIDI PLATE CLASS IV & V 7F

Hoor-e-Mehran 9-1, Donatello 8-11, Leo 8-10, Princess Gupa (Late Fantastic Beauty) 7-13, Real Gift 7-8, Fearless Empress 7-7 and Fast And Furious 7-6.

Win: Hoor-e-Mehran

Place: Donatello.

QUAID-I-AZAM TRIAL CUP 10F

Handicap race for four-year-old and above

Don't Panic 9-12 (Sher Mohammad), Charkh Bareen 9-4 (Salim Ahmed), Lady's Love 8-8 (Arshad), The First Lady 8-1 (M. Nasir), Blues Traveller 7-9 (Raees Ahmed), Captain Crash 7-5 M. Yousuf, Wonder Thunder 7-5 (M. Kashif), Jugni 7-0 (Tariq Mahmood), and War Lord 7-0 (Najam Iqbal).

Win: The First Lady

Place: Wonder Thunder & Jugni.

RASHIDI PLATE CLASS IX DIV VI 6F

Killer Instincts 9-6, Shore Footed 9-4, Swivelling Styly 9-1, Prime Panther 9-0, The New Champion 8-10, Bang On Target 8-6, Canon Strides 8-6, Edging Ahead 8-5, and Deniro 8-4.

Win: Canon Strides

Place: Swivelling Styly & Killer Instincts

DAY'S BEST: The First Lady

GOOD DOUBLE: Penny & Hoor-e-Mehran.