January 07, 2008	Monday	Zilhaj 27, 1428

LAHORE, Jan 6: Bay colt Cut Throat beat the filly Dixie and colt Armaan in a thrilling finish to bag the New Year Cup during the 19th Lahore Winter Meeting at the Lahore Racecourse on Sunday. The races were enjoyed by a fairly large gathering of equine sports lovers.

Trained by Sohail Aziz, the winner was piloted by jockey M. Hanif to beat Dixie, who nosed out Armaan by a neck margin to the third place, by half a length. The colt Vendetta completed the frame among the 11 starters about two lengths further behind.

Cut Throat and Armaan were equally backed as even-money favourites. The winner clocked one minute, 16 seconds in the over-1,200 metres.

In the supporting event, the Rana Velvet Cup for class I, II and III combined handicap race, the five-year-old English mare Day Dream Dancer lived up to her star bloodline, outclassing her seven rivals.

Contested in the over 1,400 metres, jockey M. Hanif on Day Dream Dancer stole advantage from the front-running English mare Konica, beating her by half a length’s margin.

The imported mare Snow Clad finished third, another three lengths behind with Gold Krik coming fourth. The event had eight runners in all.

Jockey M. Hanif highlighted the day’s racing, bringing home a cup double to herald the year 2008 on a triumphant note. He won the New Year Cup while racing Cut Throat and the Rana Velvet Cup, racing Day Dream Dancer to share the joyous moments equally with the horses’ trainer Sohail Aziz and owner Syed Tasweer Hussain.

The day saw only three favourites Nomy The Hunter, Cut Throat and Day Dream Dancer in the second, fourth and fifth race, respectively, obliging the punters in a card of seven events. The other events were all taken by long shots.

In contrast to M. Hanif, Jockey Shahid Rehman started the new year rather poorly, winning only one race out of his six mounts in different events, all public fancies.

Results:

GHAZNAVI PLATE CLASS V

DIV I & II 1,000M:

Emperor (Sheikh Omar Ehsanullah) 8-12 Anjum 1, Dillagi 9-0 Aamir Pervez 9-0 2, Mirana Choice 8-12 A. Alam 3 and Empire Maker 9-0 Hidayat Hussain 4.

Won by Neck, Head, 1 ¾ L. Time one minute 2 3/5 seconds. Winner trained by Amjad Ali (II).

GHAZANVI PLATE CLASS V

DIV II 1,000M:

Nommy The Hunter 8-12 Shahid Rehman 1, Legend Setter 9-0 M. Zeeshan 2, Willhewish 8-12 M. Hanif 3 and Tallal The Great 8-10 M. Waseem Khan 4,

Won by 6 L, 4 L, ½ L. Time one minute 1 2/5 seconds. Winner trained by A.B. Malik.

GHAZNAVI PLATE CLASS V

DIV I 1,000M:

Baker’s Shine (9-0) M. Zeeshan 1, Lucky Cat 8-0 Sajjad Hussain 2, Karam Pey Karam 8-11 Atif Javed 3 and Apex 8-6 Hidayat Hussain 4.

Won by 1 ½ L, ½ L, 1 1/2 L. Time one minute 2 seconds. Winner trained by Abdul Rashid.

RANA VELVET NEW YEAR CUP

(FOR THREE-YEAR-OLD

COLTS AND FILLIES) 1,200M:

Cut Throat (Syed Tasweer Hussain Shah) 9-0 1, Dixie 8-4 Tariq Habib 2, Armaan 9-0 M. Hanif 3 and Vendetta 9-0 Aamir Pervez 4.

Won by ½ L, Neck, 1 ¾ L. Time one minute 16 seconds. Winner trained by Sohail Aziz.

RANA VELVET CUP CLASS I, II

& III 1,400M:

Day Dream Dancer (Syed Tasweer Hussain Shah) 8-5 M. Hanif 1, Konica 9-4 Khalil Vicky 2, Snow Clad 8-5 Shahid Rehman 3 and Gold Krik 7-8 A. Alam 4.

Won by ½ L, 3 L, ¾ L. Time one minute 25 2/5 seconds. Winner trained by Sohail Aziz.

D.I. KHAN PLATE CLASS IV

DIV I & II 1,200M:

Mythical (Sohrab Khan) 7-10 M. Jahangir 1, Lucifer 8-4 Shahid Rehman 2, Motivator 8-4 Aamir Pervez 3 and Poly Cat 9-2 M. Hanif 4.

Won by 2 ¼ L, 7 ½ L, Neck. Time one minute 13 3/5 seconds. Winner trained by Mian Abdul Majeed.

D.I. KHAN PLATE CLASS IV

DIV III 1,200M:

Harry Can View (Shahid Rasool) 8-6 Hidayat Hussain 1, Sharp Burg 8-10 Shakeel Mahmood 2, Volcano 8-6 Anjum 3 and Royal Tradition 8-6 Tariq habib 4.

Won by 2 ½ L, ½ L, 2 ¼ L. Time one minute 15 4/5 seconds. Winner trained by Babar Bhatti.