February 20, 2006	Monday	Muharram 21, 1427

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LAHORE, Feb 19: Long shot four-year-old bay colt, Zoro, put up a smashing performance when he simply outclassed his rivals to win the Derby Trial run over 2000m during the Lahore Winter Meeting at the Racecourse on Sunday.

Ridden by jockey Salah-ud-Din (II) and trained by Memraiz Khan Zoro beat second favourite, Swing, ridden by jockey Shahid Rehman by over seven lengths.

Gujrati Babu finished third another over eight lengths behind while Achilles completed the frame among eleven runners.

The raging favourite Owais Prince backed heavily finished among also ran.

The Derby Trial fell to the lot of Salah-ud-Din II, who on Sunday replaced jockey Khurrum Sheikh, who was assigned to ride Zoro earlier.

What happened was the colt Thrill, the mount of Salahuddin was withdrawn from the race early in the morning on veterinarian advice and Zoro’s owner engaged him immediately.

The change of rider came as bolt from the blue for owner, trainer and the jockey himself. Lahore Race Club (LRC) Chairman, Tariq Aziz gave away the glittering Crystal Trophy worth rupees 35,000 to the owner Shafiq Sadiq, who also pocketed a prize-money of rupees 100,000.

This was the sixth race in racing order.

A race earlier, three-year-old Motivator came with a strong running in the final 100 metres to capture the Bin Qasim Coca Cola Cup run over 1200m. Owned by Fawad Ahmad Cheema and ridden by A. Imran the winner beat River Dancer by three lengths while First Look finished third closely among nine starters.

This was a term race for three-year-old colts fillies. Four-year-old bay English filly, Colonial Girl won the Coca Cola Cup, a handicap race for imported thoroughbreds run over 1400m in almost a start to finish style.

Ridden by A. Imran and trained by Sohail Aziz the filly beat Ponente by five lengths. Chandni finished third another one-and-a-half lengths further back.

Colonial Girl’s stable-mate and half-money favourite, Golden Drift, on whom there was a massive betting plunge completed the frame among eight runners.

Jockey M. Hanif excelled among the riders when he rode home three winners. He sailed in Daisy Against All in the first race, Namroud in the third and Trace Kim in the eighth and last race.

The rider, A Imran was accredited with a double. Among the trainers Sohail Aziz got the distinction of saddling two winners in Colonial Girl and Trace Kim in the seventh and eighth races.

Two favourites and as many second favourites won in a card of eight events decided on a day sponsored by the Coca Cola beverages.

This scribe correctly forecast winners in six races. They were Daisy Against All (Ist race), Thinkable (2nd race), Namroud (3rd race), Motivator (5th race), Colonial Girl (7th race) and Trace Kim (8th race).

While in fourth race the mare, Royal Salute was predicted to upset race, who won the event. In the Derby Trial all the four colts predicted finished on the board but in reverse order.

They were Swing, Achilles, Zoro and Gujrati Babu.

Sunday’s races once again turned out very competitive and some close finishes were seen to the delight of race lovers.

Results:

MUZAFFARABAD PLATE CLASS VII DIV II 1200M.

Daisy Against All (Rafaqat Ali) 7-9 M. Hanif 1. Billo The Great 8-12 Azam Hussain 2. Wah Bhai Wah 9-0 A. Imran 3. Remember You 9-0 Javaid Iqbal 4.

Won by 6 1/2 L, Neck, 2 1/2 L. Time one min 16 3/5 secs. Winner trained by M. Abbas.

MUZAFFARABAD PLATE CLASS VII I 1200M.

Thinkable (Shahid Mahmood) 7-11 Azhar Hussain 1. Magic Mirror 9-0 M. Hanif 2. Hallow Dancer 9-0 M. Zeeshan 3. Stride To Moment 9-0 Shakeel Mahmood 4.

Won by 1 3/4 L, 3/4 L, 4 L. Time one min 17 2/5 secs. Winner trained by Aleem-ud-Din.

LASBELA PLATE CLASS V DIV II 1200m.

Namroud (Usman Khawaja) 9-0 M. Hanif 1. Owais Dream 8-0 A. Aziz 2. Love Moon 7-12 Waseem Khan 3. Trump Coup 9-0 A. Imran 4.

Won by 1 1/4 L, 7 L, 2 L. Time one min 17 secs. Winner trained by Haji Ghulam Sarwar.

BIN QASIM COCA COLA CUP FOR THREE-YEAR-OLD COLTS AND fillies 1200m.

Motivator (Fawad Ahmad Cheema) 8-7 A. Imran 1. River Dancer 8-0 Salah-ud-Din (II) 2. First Look 8-7 M. Hanif 3. Tan Man Dhan 7-11 A. Aziz 4.

Won by 3 L, 1/2 L, Distance. Time one min 13 2/5 secs. Winner trained by Aleem-ud-Din.

Coca Cola Pakistan Derby Trial, a term race for four-year-old colts and fillies 2000M.

Zoro (M. Shafiq Sadiq) 8-10 Salah-ud-Din (II) 1. Swing 8-10 Shahid Rehman 2. Gujrati Babu 8-10 M. Hanif 3. Achilles 8-10 Azhar Hussain 4.

Won by 7 1/2 L, 8 1/2 L, 1 1/2 L. Time two mins 8 1/5 secs. Winner trained by Memraiz Khan.

Coca Cola Cup for Imported thoroughbreds in Class II & III 1400M.

Colonial Girl (Wajid Ali Khan) 8-4 A. Imran . Ponente 8-2 A. Aziz 2. Chandni 7-11 M. Zeeshan 3. Golden Drift 9-9 M. Hanif 4.

Won by 5 L, 1 1/2 L, 2 3/4 L. Time one min 24 3/5 secs. Winner trained by Sohail Aziz.

Frontier Plate Class IV Div III 1400m.

Trace Kim (Khawaja M. Arif) 7-11 M. Hanif 1. Lucky Coin 8-10 Azzem Pervaiz 2. Green Street 8-10 Azam Hussain 3. Big Bird 9-1 A. Imran 4.

Won by 6 L, 1/2 L, 1 1/2 L. Time one min 30 1/5 secs. Winner trained by Sohail Aziz.