September 16, 2007	Sunday	Ramazan 03, 1428

LAHORE, Sept 15: Three-year-old bay colt Desert Prince, who won a race last Sunday, will be on the trot to make it a two in a row when contesting the feature event during the third Lahore winter meeting at the Racecourse on Sunday.

Desert Prince had produced an excellent turn of foot, approaching the final 200 yards to register a comfortable victory in the class V division II handicap race and has now been promoted to division one in the same class with the race distance increased to 1,100 metres. Of his six rivals, Spiritual Song, Run And Win and Royal Destiny are the prominent ones to put up a challenge for Desert Prince. This will be the sixth and last race of the day.

The fifth and supporting event to be contested over 1,100 metres has the largest field of the 15 runners barring last-minute withdrawals. Of them Miss Play looks like the best followed by Mannan Prince and Stride to Moment. Miss Play was beaten by Royal Luck in the over 1,100 metres race on May 13 last. After the race it transpired that the filly had run in an unfit condition being inflicted with sore-shin trouble by her trainer, Haji Fazal Hadi, for reasons best known to him. She ran in a race, a fortnight back when her stable mate Lucky Cat was installed, an “owner’s bet” favourite with money flowing like water on her in the betting ring.

The biggest attraction in horse-racing is betting and some times people engaged in it stage a “coup de theatre” to make money, some times by winning or at times by manipulating the defeat of their own horses. Noor’s victory last Sunday was attributed to similar tactics by race fans.

Chestnut filly, Toyota, a progeny of Easy Dancer, who ran a good race a fortnight back looks a cut above in class vis-à-vis her nine rivals in the fourth race. Do Or Die has been demoted from class V division II to class VII division I in the same race, perhaps to make it a good competitive event. The colt Do Or Die, who was carelessly ridden by jockey M. Zeeshan and had finished fourth behind Richy Dancer, Royal Victory and Princess Afaq, can upset all calculations.

In the other three races, the handicap looks tight making the races competitive and interesting. Winner picking would be difficult for race-goers. Obviously the handicap is to give an equal chance to all horses to win, and to make the races competitive. An attempt is made by the handicapper to bring the horses together by altering the handicap weight, bar some of those with minimum weight and who would be carrying still less provided the rules permit.

It is very easy to see that it is worthwhile making one’s own handicap in a fixed weight non-handicap race, But one’s opinion could be a just guess work about figures, when the horses have all (except for some light weights) been handicapped to run a tight race. While judging the capabilities of the horses, it is difficult to take a jockey’s extra ability, or intentional non-ability, into consideration. Whether he is riding on merit or not, the draws for the position at start, the going under foot, the course, the distance or, above all, for the wellbeing of the contestants. One does not know how well a horse is doing and it is to be presumed that all are fit. Still there are chances one cannot take into account, however, much you believe in what your eyes and experience tell you.

These are the facts about horse-racing that the punters should be well aware of before betting.

Following is the field and our selection:

KHANEWAL PLATE CLASS VII

DIV IV 1000M:

Pind De Kuri 9-0 Pretty 9-0 Pukkar 8-12

Black Narsissus 8-10 Red Baron 8-10 Malika 8-10 and Sona 8-0.

Win: Sona.

Place: Malika.

KHANEWAL PLATE CLASS VII

DIV III 1000M:

Simoom 9-2 Kum Kum 9-2 Tosca 9-0 My Princess 8-12 Dogar Gift 8-6 Titan 8-6 Mahima 8-6 Yard Arm 8-6 Dillagi 8-4 Concept Again 8-0 Lucky Star 8-0 and Leader’s Wing 7-10.Win: Dogar Gift or Simoom (one connection).

Place: Dillagi and Leader’s Wing.

KHANEWAL PLATE CLASS VII

DIV II 1000M:

Shah Rani 9-0 Striker 9-0 Owais Dream 9-0 Gold Dust 8-10 Valentino 8-8 Big Choice 8-6 Dream Land 8-6 Dam Dama Dam 8-4 Armida 8-2 Sweet Lady 8-2 Malang Aya 8-0 Bird Fly 8-0 and Blu’s Wendy 7-11.

Win: Shah Rani.

Place: Blu’s Wendy and Valentino.

KHANEWAL PLATE CLASS VII

DIV I 1000M:

Sohna Billoo 9-4 Rana Choice 9-0 Princess Afaq 9-0 Koshalia 9-0 Lead Story 9-0 Toyota 8-12 Do Or Die 8-10 Sun Shine 8-10 Love Minister 8-5 and Shikari 8-2.

Win: Toyota.

Place: Sohna Billoo and Do Or Die.

SHAH KOT PLATE CLASS V

DIV II 1100M:

Arsome Prince 9-0 Rough Tough 9-0 Dazzy Against All 9-0 Ikon 8-12 Miss Play 8-12 Warid 8-12 Mannan Prince 8-11 Murad King 8-11 Victory Gallop 8-10 Sher-i-Lahore 8-8 Cross Ruff 8-8 Stride To Moment 8-6 Creek Cat 8-6 Billoo The Great 8-4 and Shah Pari 8-2.Win: Miss Play.

Place: Mannan Prince and Stride to Moment.

SHAH KOT PLATE CLASS V

DIV I 1100M:

Spiritual Song 9-2 Desert Prince 9-0 Royal Destiny 8-10 Run And Win 8-7 Scarlet O’ Hara 8-2 Untar 8-2 and Eve 7-12.

Win: Desert Prince.

Place: Run And Win and Spiritual Song.