17 April 2005	Sunday	07 Rabi-ul-Awwal 1426

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LAHORE, April 16: A tricky card of six events, featuring two cup events, has been chalked out for the 33rd Lahore Winter Meeting to be held at the Racecourse on Sunday.

Four events are to be held over a sprinting distance of 1200m, one 1300m and one 1600m. The distance of races, except for one has been reduced and the number of entries too has decreased because of the scorching heat.

The feature event, the Neelum Cup to have gone over 1600m, has a moderate and tiny field of six runners, barring last-minute withdrawals.

This is a class III & IV combined handicap race for imported animals. Although none of the six runners has shown any outstanding performance recently but three of them seem to be on chance to win.

They are: Laser Lass, Tourtuette and Gortalocha. Any one of them should win.

Anyway on her last outing, the five-year-old English mare, Gortalocha, will pose a strong challenge to another English mare, Laser Lass and four-year-old English filly, Tortuette.

This will be the fifth race of the card. In the Spring Cup, the supporting and fourth event, a class V division I handicap race, has eight runners, if there are no last-minute withdrawals.

Of them three look to be real contenders, namely, Fidel Castro, Mera Chandiwala and Aya Chandiwala. They should fight it out while the other five will be there just to make the field.

Three-year-old filly, Jago, who registered a facile win Sunday last, will be going all out to make it two in-a-row.

Among her 17 rivals, the colt Zahoor-e-Sehar, mare My Shanga and ten-year-old Green Hill are prominent to make it a good contesting race.

The third race looks a match between three-year-old colt Well Minister and eight-year-old Love Moon while Happy Mayla and Dancing Star will be fighting for the frame.

Three-year-old colt, Owais Prince, inspite of his handicapping at 9-2 seems to be the most speedy among his eleven opponents.

Although the field includes a few pedigreed animals and speedsters but they have no such recent performance to get a strong approval for landing the spoils.

If any of them does it, will be a just fluke, which seldom upset races. The sixth and last race is formed of such animals, who lack consistency in their performance.

So it will be a free for all for the twelve runners. The distance, however, suits Fly Over Home and Double Deal, but both have bookmakers connections.

Fields and our selections:

MIAN CHANNU PLATE CLASS VII DIV I 1200M.

Zahoor-e-Sehar 9-4 Miss Bank Bank 9-0 My Princess 9-0 Jago 9-0 Green Hill 9-0 Malang Aya 8-10 Royal Emperor 8-10 Goray Wah 8-10 My Shanga 8-7 Ministry 8-6 Raad 8-6 Thinkable 8-6 Mettalic 8-6 Royal Destiny 8-6 Royal Kingdom 8-6 Nawa-i-Sehar 8-2 Salman Love 7-10 and remember You 7-10. Win: Jago. Place: Zahoor-i-Sehar and My Shanga.

SPRING CUP CLASS V DIV I 1200m.

Mera Chandiwala 9-2 Fidel Castro 9-0 Squash Ball 8-12 Rising Sun 8-12 Aya Chandiwala 8-12 Trace Hut 8-6 Run And Win 8-4 and Over Trick 8-4.

Win: Fidel Castro. Place: Mera Chnadiwala and Aya Chandiwala.

SPRING PLATE CLASS V DIV II 1200m.

Well Minister 9-0 Love Moon 9-0 Happy Mayla 8-12 Amsterdam 8-11 Opening Partner 8-7 Spring Breeze 8-6 High Target 8-6 Capeletti 8-6 Dynasty 8-6 Prema Dona 8-6 Blessing In Disguise 8-6 May May 8-4 Dancing Star 8-0 Mutyar 8-0 and Black Dancer 7-9. Win: Well Minister. Place: Happy Mayla and Happy Moon.

HYDERABAD PLATE CLASS IV DIV II 1300m.

Royal Bird 9-4 Owais Prince 9-2 Sunny Kid 9-0 Royal Winner 9-0 Royal Fantasy 8-11 Brave Majesty 8-6 Where And When 8-6 Night Beauty 8-5 Trace Hut 8-4 Baker Eye 8-4 Poly Nest 8-0 and Magic Mirror 8-0.

Win: Owais Prince. Place: Royal winner and Night Beauty.

Neelum Cup Class III & IV (For foreign horses only) 1600m.

Laser Lass 9-0 Gortalocha 8-10 Dixie Queen 8-10 Tortuette 8-6 Brumel 7-10 and Repatorie 7-8.

Win:Laser Lass.

Place: Gortalocha and Tortuette.

Mian Channu Plate Class VII Div II & III 1200m.

Kaainat 9-0 Oscar 8-13 Daring Bulbul 8-12 Sohna Malook 8-12 Asif Love 8-11 Fly Over home 8-10 Deep River 8-8 Lucky Credit Queen 8-8 Lovely Diana 8-6 Iram State 8-2 Easy Come Easy Go 7-12 and Double Deal 7-5. Win: Fly Over home. Place: Easy Come easy Go and Double Deal.