LAHORE, Jan 27: Long shot bay colt Apex upset all calculations by landing the Lahore Race Club (LRC) Cup, a class five event, run measuring over 1,600 metres during the Lahore Winter Meeting at the Racecourse on Sunday.

The three-to-one chance colt, led all the way home to handily beat joint favourite filly Born To Win by five lengths. The other joint favourite Karam Pey Karam, ridden erratically by jockey Javaid Iqbal, finished third, another two lengths further behind while Lucky Cat completed the frame. This fifth race of the day had only seven horses.

Earlier the LRC stewards changed Apex’s rider at the starting gates, replacing jockey Hidayat Hussain with Shahid Rehman. The change of riders saw the colt register an easy win.

One race earlier, chestnut colt Lucifer, given a forceful ride by jockey Shahid Rehman, won the Lahore Plate for class four horses, contested in the over 1,600 metres distance race.

Owned by LRC chairman Tariq Aziz, the colt beat the odds on favourite Desert Prince by one and a half lengths. Both the colts, ranked among the best four-year-olds, had a ding-dong struggle in the final 200 metres stretch, alternately drawing loud cheers from the punters and turf accountants when they surged ahead, but finally to the great delight of the turf accountants and punters’ shock, Lucifer emerged the winner. The colt also rehabilitated his trainer Khadim Hussain’s reputation, which had become rather dented by his successive lacklustre performances in the three earlier runs. It would be interesting to point here that Khadim used to be a champion jockey and trainer.

Riding Lucifer and Apex in the fourth and fifth race, respectively, Jockey Shahid Rehman excelled among the riders, bringing a brace of winners home.

Winning the last race under jockey M. Hanif, the day’s best performer was bay colt Sher Khan. The 70 to 100 favourite Sher Khan was stuck behind a bunch of three frontrunners and it was beginning to look like the colt might not be able to find an opening to be able to forge ahead.

But Hanif not only pulled the colt out, he also drove him clear of the pack to win the race to the sound of cheering and applause from all the present race fans. Sher Khan was trained by Sohail Aziz.

In the first race, favourite filly Mid Night Fury refused to enter the starting gates and was subsequently withdrawn from the contest under orders from the LRC stewards.

Two horses were withdrawn at the last moment in the second race too, leaving only six runners. The dark-bay Empire Maker ridden by A. Imran with precise judgement won by half a length. He beat chestnut gelding Redouble, partnered by jockey M. Zeeshan but Zeeshan’s handling left a lot to be desired.

Four favourites won in a card of six events. The favourite to win were: Honest Minister (Evens), Empire Maker (Evens), Run And Win (3 to 2) and Sher Khan (70 to 100). Lucifer and Apex, the winners of the fourth and fifth races, respectively, were available at three to one each.

Results: