September 10, 2006	Sunday	Sha'aban 16, 1427

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LAHORE, Sept 9: The long awaited duel between two thoroughbred colts that has aroused great interest among race-goers reaches a fitting climax when First Look and Charismatic measure each other's strides during the day/night Lahore Winter Meeting at the Racecourse on Sunday.

Both the colts have been racing well over the 1100m and clocked fastest timing and are meeting for the first time in a mouth-watering show down in the War Heroes Cup to be gone over 1400m.

The card also features six cups named after the recipients of Nishan-I-Haider, country's highest gallantry award.

The connections of both colts are Lahore Race Club (LRC) stewards and, are hoping against hope and backing own stalwarts for this race that has lit up the winter racing season.

First Look is trained by champion trainer, Haji Ghulam Sarwar while Charismatic is by former champion trainer, Haji Fazal Hadi and, for both Hajis it's a matter more of prestige rather than the victory.

A handicap race for class IV division II and III has 16 runners in the field. First Look, a progeny of Cry For The Clown out-of-First Flame, has an advantage of nine pounds over Charismatic. Both will be going over 1400 metres distance for the first time and are sure to stay over it.

Golden Goal and Quince too are in good form but not like the first two already mentioned. First Look's stable-mate, Cobbler relishes the distance but he is appearing for the first time on the course this season.

The second War Heroes Cup for class IV division I and II also to be gone over 1400 metres has ten runners With three back to back victories to his credit, the colt Gold Krik is being fancied to lift the cup and carry his winning streak to four. Achilles and Discovery may fight for less remunerative positions.

Ferrari, Nosha and Jut Bahadur attract attention in the Major Shabbir Sharif Shaheed Cup to be gone over the sprinting distance of 1200 metres.

They should finish in the same order among a dozen runners drawn for the event barring last-minute withdrawals.

Poly Love stands out in the Major Raja Aziz Bhatti Shaheed Cup with Simoom and Dancing Star following. This is a class V division I-B handicap race and the fifth in racing order.

Bay filly Noor looks a cut above in class vis-à-vis her nine rivals in the Major Tufail Mohammad Shaheed Cup, a class V division II-A handicap race. Great bMurad, Volcano and Eye Of The Tiger may fight for a position on the frame.

Al Murad, Gorcee The Great and scarlet empress are the prominent runners in the pilot Officer Rashid Minhas Shaheed Cup. The last named having a handicap advantage should prevail over the first two named.

Two more cup events, Major Mohammaqd Akram Shaheed and Captain Mohammad Sarwar Shaheed Cup are on the card drawn for the day. The first race will be held at 4pm.

The following are the fields and our selections:

CAPTAIN MOHAMMAD SARWAR SHAHEED CUP CLASS VII DIV I-B 1000B:

Bone Crusher 9-0 Rana The Great 8-13 Welcome Mayla 8-13 High Hope 8-13 Rasputine 8-13 Have No Fear 8-13 Sir Ivanhoe 8-13 Stride To Moment 8-10 Dam dama Dam 8-9 Sohna Malook 8-9 Tallal The Great 8-7 and Wah Cisco Wah 8-1.

Win: Bone Crusher.

Place: Stride To Moment and High Hope.

MAJOR MOHAMMAD AKRAM SHAHEED CUP CLASS VII DIV I-A 1000M:

Royal Fish 9-0 Red Alert 8-10 Philosopher 8-10 War Admiral 8-10 Bad-i-Naseem 8-10 Tosca 8-6 Flying Fury 8-6 New Bhakkar 8-6 Jago 8-6 King Of Murad 8-6 Love Minister 8-6 and Bachelor 8-5.

Win: Bachelor.

Place: Jago and Tosca.

PILOT OFFICER RASHID MINHAS SHAHEED CUP CLASS V DIV II-B 1200M:

Rang Dey Basanti 9-0 Al Murad 8-12 Gorcee The Great 8-11 Blue Fire 8-10 Kind Minister 8-10 Lovely Diana 8-10 Scarlet Empress 8-6 and Shaba Queen 8-3.

Win: Scarlet Empress.

Place: Gorcee The Great and Al Murad.

MAJOR TUFAIL MOHAMMAD SHAHEED CUP CLASS V DIV II-A 1000M:

Hallow Dancer 9-0 Great Murad 8-12 Munsaf 8-12 Mamula 8-12 Noor 8-12 Extravagant 8-12 Volcano 8-10 Mam Mia 8-9 Moon Dazzler 8-9 and Eye Of The Tiger 8-8.

Win: Noor.

Place: Volcano and Eye Of The Tiger.

MAJOR RAJA AZIZ BHATTI SHAHEED CUP CLASS V DIV I-B 1000M:

Sikander-I-Azam 9-0 Poly Love 9-0 Decent Wind 9-0 Mera Gulshan 9-0 Blu's Wendy 9-0 Simoom 8-13 Armida 8-11 Piyari Bulbul 8-11 Manu Janu 8-10 Cross Ruff 8-9 Lovely Gate 8-7 and Dancing Star 8-2.

Win: Poly Love.

Place: Dancing Star and Simoom.

MAJOR SHABBIR SHARIF SHAHEED CUP CLASS DIV I-A 1200M:

Jewna 9-0 Jut Bahadur 9-0 Daisy Against All 8-9 Nosha 8-9 Honest Minister 8-9 Sohna Billoo 8-7 Ferrari 8-7 Prince Of Bhakkar 8-6 Azam Love 8-5 Trump Coup 8-5 Ministry 8-5 and Valentino 8-5.

Win: Ferrari.

Place: Jut Bahadur and Nosha.

J.S. ABAMCO WAR HEROES CUP CLASS IV DIV II & III 1400M:

Black House 9-2 Hatam 9-2 Putra's Lady 9-2 Royal Gambler 9-2 Fidel Castro 9-2 Charismatic 9-0 Golden Goal 9-0 Cobbler 9-0 Big Bird 8-12 Eid 8-11 Quince 8-8 First Look 8-5 Wendy Trace 8-5 Safe And Sound 8-4 Lucky Coin 8-1 and Charming King 7-13.

Win: First Look.

Place: Golden Goal and Charismatic.

J. S. ABAMCO WAR HEROES CUP CLASS IV DIV I & II 1400M:

Harry Can View 9-7 Valentino 9-6 Achilles 9-2 Zargar 8-11 Cladious 8-10 Run And Win 8-7 Discovery 8-7 Gold Krik 8-4 Poly Dunit 7-12 and Running Stage 7-8.

Win: Gold Krik.

Place: Achilles and Discovery.