February 19, 2006	Sunday	Muharram 20, 1427

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LAHORE, Feb 18: The Derby Trial, undoubtedly one of the Lahore Winter Meeting’s highlights to be run over 2000m promises to be a lively contest between four colts at the Racecourse on Sunday.

A term race for four-year-old Pakistani colts and fillies is considered a prep race to add credibility to their owners’ Derby hopes.

This year the majority of Derby contenders with the exception of few are vying for the event. However, four colts of the total twelve runners seem to be genuinely qualified to be called real contenders.

The main reason is that none of the runners have gone over 1600m in preparation for the event which is a test of speed, stamina and endurance for the real contenders for the March 5 Pakistan Derby to be run over 2400m.

The Derby Trial field consists of nine colts and three fillies. Going through their past performances on record four colts come into reckoning, who are: Gujrati Babu, Swing, Achilles and Zoro.

A son of Putra out-of-Midlin, Gujrati Babu on classification is ahead of the list. He defeated a high class field over a mile on Oct 23 last but had not been seen in the races since then.

This is a big question mark Trained by Amjad Ali II, he will be ridden by jockey M. Hanif.

The bay colt Swing from Stranger In Paradise out of Rosina Folly, is a high profile contender. He won four races in a row and will be on the trot to make it five, a feat rarely performed.

Owned jointly by Mian Maahir Ahmad and Mahmood Khan, the shapely colt will be ridden by ace jockey Shahid Rehman and is trained by A. B. Malik.

A colt from Cry For The Clown out-of-Show No Mercy, Achilles has so far won four races at random and is tracking very well.

Owned by Arbab Muhammad Zahur and trained by Haji Ghulam Sarwar the colt will be ridden by Azhar Hussain.

Zoro, a colt from Leading Bird out-of-Blind Faith, who has proved himself a leading speedster among four-year-old, will have to go all out to prove himself as a stayer too.

He is trained by Memraiz Khan and will be ridden by Khurrum Sheikh. But on performances Swing and Gujrati Babu have proved their ingrained outstanding abilities.

Achilles and Zoro should fight for place on the board. Who reflects breeding quality of a stayer and clicks on time will be seen on Sunday.

The Derby Trial field with probable riders is: Achilles (Azhar Hussain), Gujrati Babu (M. Hanif), Swing (Shahid Rehman), Owais Prince (A. Aziz), Fidel Castro (A. Imran), Zoro (Khurrum Sheikh), Google (Rehman Ali II), Thrill (Salah-ud-Din II), Fajr (M. Atif), Key Guy Doll (Kashif Qamar), Poly Dunit (M. Zeeshan) and Who Dares (Shahid Mustafa).

For the punters, the Derby Trial, is an epic occasion for their quest for an ultimate champion colt or filly for the blue-ribboned Pakistan Derby which is exactly two weeks away scheduled for March 5.

The main supporting event, the Coca Cola Cup, a class II and III combined handicap race for imported thoroughbreds to be run over 1400m has eight runners. Of them three look on chance.

They are Colonial Girl, Ponente and Chandni. The distance goes in favour of Colonial Girl while the handicap favours Chandni. The third cup event, the Bin Qasim Cup to be contested over the sprinting distance of 1200m has nine colts and fillies.

Twice unlucky to be beaten to second place, the bay filly Motivator, should make amends and lift the cup.

Her close rivals would be two colts, First Look and River Dancer. This will be the fifth race in racing order.

Trace Kim, a progeny of Trace Creek out-of Top Credit, looks well-placed in the weight scales to get the better of her eleven rivals. She should be followed by Lucky Coin, Toru Khan and Royal Destiny.

Three-year-old colt Namroud, who was beaten on his two previous outings will be going all out to win the third race.

He should be followed by Owais Dream and Trump Coup. In all, eight races have been drawn up for the Coca Cola sponsored day of racing.

The first race will be held at 12 noon.

The following are the fields and our selections.

MUZAFFARABAD PLATE CLASS VII DIV II 1200m.

Wah Bhai Wah 9-0 Remember You 9-0 Attraction 9-0 Billo The Great 8-12 Madam Lorina 8-10 Raad 8-10 Daisy Against All 7-9 Sharp Edge 7-4. Win: Daisy Against All. Place: Sharp Edge and Billo The Great.

MUZAFFARABAD PLATE CLASS VII DIV I 1200m.

Stride To Moment 9-0 Hello Dancer 9-0 Magic Mirror 9-0 My Love 9-0 Bad-i-Naseem 8-10 Bahar-i-Bhakkar 8-6 Final Count Down 8-2 Dam Dama Dam 8-2 Wah Cisco Wah 7-12 Shadow Snatcher 7-12 Thinkable 7-11 Golden Faith 7-8 and May May 7-8. Win: Thinkable. Place: Dam Dama Dam and Final Count Down.

LASBELA PLATE CLASS V DIV II 1200m.

Bird Fly 9-4 Rising Sun 9-4 Trump Coup 9-0 Namroud 9-0 Noor 9-0 War Admiral 9-0 Rana Choice 8-10 Red Flame 8-10 Samoom 8-10 Royal Gambler 8-6 Desert Queen 8-6 Che Guera 8-6 Seven King 8-4 Happy Mayla 8-2 Scarlet Empress 8-0 Owais Dream 8-0 Love Moon 7-12 and Murad Love 7-6.Win: Namroud. Place; Trump Coup and Owais Dream.

LASBELA PLATE CLASS V DIV I 1200M.

Royal Salute 9-0 Mera Chandiwala 9-0 Westner 9-0 Zardan 8-12 Well Minister 8-10 Shark 8-10 Ezam 8-10 Bone Crusher 8-10 Red Hot 8-10 Late arrival 8-10 Shah Rani 8-7 Owais Star 8-7 3 / ? Shahzor Mayla 8-6 Red Alert 8-3 Arabian Sea 8-3 Royal Fish 8-3 Queen Of Saba 8-3 and Himmat 8-3. Win: Zardan. Place; Queen Of Saba and Royal Salute.

Bin Qasim Coca Cola Cup. A term race for three-year-old colts and fillies 1200M.

Motivator 8-7 First Look 8-7 River Dancer 8-0 Quwat 8-0 Charismatic 8-0 Herry Can Run 8-0 Jasrah 8-0 Nosheen 7-11 and Tan Man Dhan 7-11. Win: Motivator. Place: River Dancer and First Look.

Coca Cola Derby Trial. A term race for four-year-old colts and fillies 2000m.

Achilles 8-10 Gujrati Babu 8-10 Swing 8-10 Owais Prince 8-10 Fidel Castro 8-10 Zoro 8-10 Google 8-10 Thrill 8-10 Fajr 8-10 Key Guy Doll 8-7 Poly Dunit 8-7 and Who Dare 8-7.

Win: Swing. Place: Achilles and Zoro. Upset: Gujrati Babu.

COCA COLA CUP. A HANDICAP RACE FOR IMPORTED THOROUGHBREDS IN CLASS II & III 1400m.

Golden Drift 9-9 Thai Hi 8-12 Catch All 8-12 Dinner Guest 8-11 Colonial Girl 8-4 Ponente 8-2 Chandni 7-10 and Calendar Girl 7-9. Win: Colonial Girl. Place: Ponente and Chandni.

FRONTIER PLATE CLASS IV DIV III 1400m.

Big Bird 9-1 Don’t Follow 9-0 Blu’s Wendy 9-0 Miss Photogenic 9-0 Puma Princess 8-11 Green Street 8-10 Lucky Coin 8- 10 Royal Destiny 8-7 Moment To Moment 8-4 Safe And Sound 7-12 Trace Kim 7-11 and toru Khan 7-8. Win: Trace Kim. Place: Toru Khan and Royal Destiny.