March 26, 2006	Sunday	Safar 25, 1427

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LAHORE, March 25: Five-year-old gelding, Royal Gambler, looks poised to win the Nero’s Dream Cup during the Lahore Winter Meeting at the Racecourse on Sunday. He is contesting the fourth race, a class V division I handicap race to be gone over the sprinting distance of 1200m. The cup race field comprises 18 runners barring last-minute withdrawals.

The M. Hanif alias Shera trained chestnut gelding, Royal Gambler, had registered a fluent victory in the Mohlanwal Plate, class V division II-B over 1200m on March 12 last.

Looking at the way he won on that day and the weight scales assigned him in the handicap, there seems hardly any reason why he should not make it two in-a-row.

Love Moon, Eye Of The Tiger and Rough Tough should fight for the less remunerative positions. The Kamalia Sugar Mills Cup also to be gone over 1200m promises to be a lively contest between Sher-i-Gujrat, Valentine and Fidel Castro.

Of the three Sher-i-Gujrat, who has been upped in the weight scales is a faster animal and more exposed than the other.

This chestnut colt from Ibrahim’s Own out-of-Honey Dew had won two races in-a-row and was placed third in Pepsi Cup over 1600m last Sunday.

That was a good show in a better company and over a shorter distance he has an edge to make amends this time and win the race.

Three-year-old dark-bay colt Late Arrival, will be on the trot to register another victory.

He came with a late burst of speed to win a race on March 12 and with a similar run, Late arrival may not find any difficulty in landing the spoils once again.

The colt is from Power Base out-of-Rosina Folly. This will be the seventh and last race of the day.

The four-year-old filly, Miss Photogenic on whom her owner Khawaja M. Arif had pinned high hopes in the beginning of the season, has now gained form winning a race on March 12 last.

She will be measuring strides with another filly Baker’s Gal, whose reputation was dented when beaten by Miss Pole on Jan 1 last. Since then she is off the track. In what condition she is brought will determine her behaviour in the race.

Both the fillies are vying in the Ginza Plate, a class IV division II handicap race, the fifth in racing order.

Golden Goal, Scarlet Empress and Cross Ruff are the pick of eleven runners drawn for the third race. They should fight it out in the same order.

Horse-racing is a sport of uncertainties but the first two events are the such one hundred per cent.

They comprise mostly inconsistent performers about whom nothing could be said how they are going to perform and what are their connections upto a card of seven races, all to be contested over 1200m metres will be gone through in the afternoon.

The first race will be held at 12.30pm.

The following are the fields and our selections.

KARACHI PLATE CLASS VII DIV II 1200m.

Dam Dama Dam 9-1 Savera 9-0 Wah Cisco Wah 9-0 Royal Cannon 9-0 Billoo The Great 9-0 Wah Bhai Wah 8-12 Remember You 8-10 Bad- i-Naseem 8-10 Mutyar 8-10 Attraction 8-6 Dogar’s Gift 8-1 Royal Palace 7-8 Black Leopard 7-8 Raad 7-6 and Kasay Kaza 8-4.

Win: Royal Cannon or Royal Palace. Place: Dam Dama Dam and Black Leopard.

KARACHI PLATE CLASS VII DIV I 1200m.

Magic Mirror 9-4 Wendy Trace 9-1 Talal The Great 9-0 Noor 9-0 Red Flame 9-0 Simoom 8-10 Happy Mayla 8-10 Che Guera 8-6 Stride To Moment 8-4 and Black Rock.

Win: Magic Mirror. Place; Talal The Great and Stride To Moment.

NERO’S DREAM PLATE CLASS V DIV II 1200M.

Dil Vil 9-0 Cross Ruff 9-0 Golden Goal (formerly Owais Star) 8-11 Wall Street 8-10 Golden Faith 8-7 Crystal Heart 8-6 Scarlet Empress 8-5 Bosra Sham 8-4 Byron 8-2 Thinkable 8-0 and Jago 7-12.

Win: Golden Goal. Place: Cross Ruff and Scarlet Empress.

NERO’ DREAM CUP CLASS V DIV I 1200m.

Roshan 9-0 King Kong 9-0 Royal Destiny 9-0 Royal Gambler 8-12 Jang Frau 8-11 Khaiva 8-10 Billoo Prince 8-10 New Bhakkar 8-10 Love moon 8-8 Tosca 8-7 Discovery 8-7 Queen Of Music 8-7 Herry Can View 8-6 Tornado 8-6 Gold Bird 8-6 Rough Tough 8-4 Al Murad 8-6 and Eye Of The Tiger 7-12.

Win: Royal Gambler. Place: Love Moon and Eye of The Tiger.

GINZA PLATE CLASS IV DIV II 1200m.

Puma The Great 9-0 Strom Warning 9-0 Stereo Nation 8-6 Red Hot Fire 8-4 Baker’s Gal 8-3 Miss Photogenic 8-3 and Run And Win 7-12.

Win: Miss Photogenic. Place: Baker’s Gal.

KAMALIA SUGAR MILLS CUP CLASS IV DIV I 1200m.

Sher-i-Gujrat 9-5 Valentine 9-4 Mumtaz Mahal 8-10 Pawan 8-6 Fidel Castro 7-12 and Millennium Count 7-8.

Win: Sher-i-Gujrat. Place: Valentine.

Ginza Plate Class IV Div III 1200m.

Big Bird 9-3 Zargar 9-1 River Dancer 9-0 Zardan 9-0 Aya Chandiwala 9-0 Eid 8-10 Green Street 8-8 Late Arrival 8-0 Royal power 8-0 Safe And Sound 7-8 and Royal Fish 7-4.

Win: Late Arrival. Place: Big Bird and Zargar.