February 21, 2008	Thursday	Safar 13, 1429

LAHORE, Feb 20: Riding boy M. Akram and trainer Mohammad Afzal shared the day’s racing honours when each was accredited with a fine double during the midweek Lahore Gymkhana races at the Racecourse on Wednesday.

M. Akram rode home dark bay filly Little Smile and dark bay colt Best Owner in the first and second race. Trainer Mohammad Afzal sent out the chestnut filly Victory Gallop and chestnut gelding, the winner of the fifth and seventh race, respectively.

The four-year-old dark bay filly Little Smile showered big smiles on her owner by triumphing in the feature event. Ridden with great confidence by the riding boy M. Akram, she beat Well Done by a big margin of a distance with Golden Road and Armida completing the frame. In all, 14 ran in the event where many horses were backed for places.

Bookmakers and the punters shared the day’s proceedings on even terms when three favourites and a second favourite won in a card of seven events, all contested in the sprinting distance of over 1,000 metres.

The favourites to win were Best Owner, Arzoo and Mere Lal in the second, third and sixth race.

However, the biggest upset of the day was caused by chestnut filly Victory Gallop, who galloped to victory in the fifth race. Ridden by A. Imran the filly was trained by Mohammad Afzal. The odds-on favourite bay filly Dream Act finished off the frame.

The Lahore Race Club (LRC) stewards suspended the riding boy Atif Javaid for his unsatisfactory riding of roan gelding Billoo The Great, who did not figure on the board in the first race. Atif Javaid took a very slow start and never tried making up for it later. He finished the race trailing last among the 14-strong field.

Wednesday’s races were attended by only three stewards -- Mian Abdul Waheed, Masood Parvaiz and Khawaja M. Arif.

Results:

MASTUNG PLATE CLASS VI

DIV I 1,000M:

Little Smile (Mian Javaid Awan) 8-5 M. Akran 1, Well Done 9-0 A. Alam 2, Golden Road 8-10 Sajjad Hussain 3 and Armida 8-11 M. Hanif 4.

Won by Distance, 1/2 L, Distance. Time one minute 6 2/5 seconds. Winner trained by Choudhry Mohammad Rafiq.

CHAMAN PLATE CLASS VII

DIV I 1,000M:

Best Owner (Zia-ur-Rehman) 8-10 M. Akram 1, Leader’s Wing 8-12 Ali Raza 2, Red Baron 9-0 M. Waseem 3 and Pretty 9-0 Majid Ali 4.

Won by 4 L, 1 3/4 L, 4 3/4 L. Time one minute 8 4/5 seconds. Winner trained by the owner.

MASTUNG PLATE CLASS VI

DIV IV 1,000M:

Arzu (Mohammad Aslam) 9-0 Tariq Habib 1, Al Ain 8-0 A. Alam 2, Dimple 7-8 Naseer Ahmad 3 and Geo Bhakkar 7-10 Imran Parvaiz 4.

Won by 3/4 L, 3 L, 2 1/2 L. Time one minute 7 seconds. Winner trained by Shahzad Ali.

MASTUNG PLATE CLASS VI

DIV III 1,000M:

Lucky Coin (Zaheer Aslam) 7-6 Imran Parvaiz 1, Rang Dey Basanti 9-0 Anjum 2, Great Rhythm 8-10 Parvaiz Bhatty 3 and Pick Of The Day 8-4 Munir Ahmad 4.

Won by 2 L, 3/4 L, 1 1/2 L. Time one minute 7 4/5 seconds. Winner trained by Tauqeer Ahmad.

MASTUNG PLATE CLASS VI

DIV 1,000M:

Victory Gallop (Choudhry Sagheer Ahmad) 8-12 A. Imran 1, Big Choice 8-2 M. Zeeshan 2, Gold Round 8-10 Munir Ahmad 3 and Dam Dama Dam 8-4 Ali Raza 4.

Won by 1 L, 1/2 L, 3/4 L. Time one minute 6 1/5 seconds. Winner trained by Mohammad Afzal.

CHAMAN PLATE CLASS VII

DIV II 1,000M:

Mere Lal (Mohammad Aslam) 8-2 Sajjad Hussain 1, Rokra 8- M. Akram 2, Sana 7-110 Parvaiz Bhatty 3 and Muskan 7-12 Majid Ali 4.

2 1/2 L, 3 1/2 L, 6 L. Time one minute 9 1/5 seconds. Winner trained by Mohammad Afzal.

CHAMAN PLATE CLASS VII

DIV III 1,000M:

Bagh-o-Bahar (Munir Ahmad) 8-2 Majid Ali 1, Sohna Noor 8-2 Saqib 2, Kiss Of Love 7-10 Naseer Ahmad 3 and Lal Pari 8-2 Zameer 4.

Won by 8 L, 2 1/2 L, 1 3/4 L. Time one minute 9 2/5 seconds. Winner trained by Musawar Choudhry.