February 17, 2006	Friday	Muharram 18, 1427

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LAHORE, Feb 16: The Derby Trial, Lahore’s most prestigious 2000m prize for four-year-old colts and fillies, which features majority of Pakistan Derby 2006 contenders will be run at the Racecourse on Sunday (Feb 19).

Like the Pakistan Derby, the Derby Trial is a term race for four-year-old Pakistani-bred colts and fillies.

The colts will carry 8-10 weight in the handicap while the fillies are entitled to three-pounds allowance in weight-scales.

In all, a dozen colts and fillies will be vying for the contest considered as the first milestone for the runners for March 5 Derby championship to be contested over 2400m, the Pakistan Derby.

The Derby Trial field comprises nine colts and three fillies. They are: Achilles, Gujrati Babu, Swing, Owais Prince, Fidel Castro, Zoro, Google (formerly Dumbo), Thrill, Fajr, Key Guy Doll, Poly Dunit and Who Dares.

The last three named are fillies. Two owners, have entered two contestants each. Fajr and Poly Dunit come from the leading stable of LRC chairman Tariq Aziz and Co while Swing and Google represent the colours of joint owners Mian Maahir Ahmad and Mahmood Khan.

Besides Derby Trial, two other cup events will be decided. They are: Coca Cola Cup for class II & III imported horses over 1400m and Bin Qasim Cup, a term race for three-year-old colts and fillies over the sprinting distance of 1200m.

Meanwhile, the Lahore Race Club (LRC) has offered for sale among horse-owners the imported oats in view of the short supply of the grain in the open market, which is an essential feed for horses.

The LRC has recently imported top quality oats from Australia anticipating that oats will not be available in the market and if available the price will be beyond the buying capacity of the majority of owners.

The club has already received two consignments of four thousand bags, weighing 40-kilograms each. While the remaining consignments are in the pipeline for delivery to the club.

The owners will be charged at the rate of rupees 750 for 40-kilograms. The owners who are unable to pay the price at delivery will be given the grain on loan basis and the amount will be realised from the prize-money won by their horses, a notification issued by the LRC said on Thursday.

The facility is being provided to facilitate horse-owners and save them from the difficulty in getting oats, it added.