April 23, 2008	Wednesday	Rabi-us-Sani 16, 1429

LAHORE, April 22: The six-year-old Jewna looks well-set to have the better of his rivals when a six-event card goes through during the midweek day/night Lahore Gymkhana races at the Racecourse on Wednesday.

The dark bay horse Jewna is contesting in the fifth and feature event, the over 900 metres class VI, division II Okara Plate. Jewna, who had a lean season, was placed third behind Murad King and Dream Act on April 16. And if things go his way, he should be making amends for that defeat by winning this race. Going by any standard, classification, speed and handicap, he is far superior than his 14 rivals, the closest of them being the filly Dream Act and the mare Faryal.

There are a dozen competitors and none of them are known for their outstanding performance in the supporting event, the Okara Plate, class VI, division III race to be contested in the over 900 metres distance. There is no reliable or consistent performer since the last several months. However, going by their old form, Shah Rani, Armida and Nut Cracker have a somewhat better chance than the rest in this fourth race in the racing order.

Geo Super, Hikmat and Sher-e-Lahore are the pick of the 10 acceptors for the third race.

The bay mare Geo Super, who had to her credit a facile victory on April 9, will be on the trot to make it a two in a row to prove herself ‘super’. The second event has the largest field of 17 runners but very few of them, namely, Shahbaz Love, Leader’s Wing, Miss Mano and Mah-e-Noor, are in form.

Kiss Of Love, Pretty and Better Time should fight for the spoils in the first race. Whosoever shows better form and time should win, most probably in the same order. Muskan, Azeem Prince, Billoo Love and Shandar look on chance in the sixth and last race, which is going to be a closely contested and exciting event.

The future performance of horses, all over the racing world, is determined by their last run. One may become good at this but one can make horrible mistakes when that particular horse is not the respective stable’s choice. As has often been noted, owners can be tricky people. Therefore while betting one has to select the best horses after confirming their fitness and whether the race conditions are even suitable for them.

This is a sport of great uncertainties where even better horses can get beaten by those lacking in quality and performance. Owners may hide facts about the horse’s fitness and try them out for monetary gains and adopt many foul tactics. They may quite knowingly install their horses as false favourites while drugging the animals.

Then there is the bookmakers’ mafia, who try that a favourite horse is defeated. The mafia gains in such a situation. Some unscrupulous turf accountants compromise with their own type of horse owners to make easy money. Many greedy owners fall into the trap. They do it secretly. The races’ result may often reveal the truth about the actual happening but sometimes it remains covered up even after the race.

Race goers are aware of such bookmakers and owners, who in the past had been fixing races but most of them have now made an exit from the racing circles.

When Mr Tariq Aziz took over as the Lahore Race Club (LRC) chairman, he eliminated a mafia consisting of bad character and notorious people engaged in fixing races at gunpoint. The LRC was cleansed of notoriety but a new set of mafia has gradually replaced that, which is treading the same way but under the different style of extending monetary offers. The most astonishing fact is that in most cases rich people, for whom money shouldn’t really matter, are involved.

The stewards try to undo race fixing if it comes to their notice but often the mafia does it so secretly that nobody has a clue.

All events are to be contested in the over 900 metres. The first race will start at 3.30pm.

Following is the field and our selections:

SAHIWAL PLATE CLASS VII

DIV II 900M:

Mansha Love 9-2, Sherry Baba 9-0, Koel 9-0, Try My Best 9-0, Manmoji 9-0, Sana Choice 8-10, Kiss Of Love 8-8, Better Time 8-8, Sohail 8-6, Bagh-o-Bahar 8-2, Waqas Prince 7-12, Pretty 7-8, Bioactive 7-8.

Win: Kiss Of Love.

Place: Batter Time and Pretty.

SAHIWAL PLATE CLASS VII

DIV I 900M:

Chocolate Boy 9-2, Shahbaz Love 9-0, Unique 9-0, Snow Fall 9-0, Ranjha 9-0, Faizan Prince 9-0, Lucky Seven 9-0, Hurry Up 9-0, Miss Mano 8-12, Morni 8-10, Miss Karina 8-10, Malangni Aie 8-10, Sawan Ki Bahar 8-6, Leader’s Wing 8-6, Mah-e-Noor 8-6, Mera Chan 8-6, Changer 8-6.

Win: Shahbaz Love.

Place: Mah-e-Noor and Leader’s Wing.

OKARA PLATE CLASS VI DIV IV 900M:

Sher-e-Lahore 9-0, Hikmat 9-0, Geo Super 9-0, Red Fairy 8-12, Sona 8-10, White Oaks 8-10, Malang Aya 8-10, Happy Life 8-4, Happy Bear 7-8, Black King 7-8.

Win: Geo Super.

Place: Hikmat and Sher-e-Lahore.

OKARA PLATE CLASS VI DIV III 900M:

Shah Rani 9-0, Sharoon Prince 9-0, Mera Nawab 9-0, Armida 9-0, Dam Dama Dam 9-0, Sun Ray 8-12, Mama Mia 8-4, Nut Cracker 8-3, Weldon Shogun 8-2, So Romantic 8-0, Sun Shine 7-12, Have No Fear 7-10.

Win: Shah Rani.

Place: Nut Cracker and Armida.

OKARA PLATE CLASS VI DIV II 900M:

Bashayaesh Prince 9-0, Rana Gift 9-0, Little Love 9-0, Dream Act 8-12, Remember You 8-10, Never Fail 8-10, Love Minister 8-10, Jewna 8-8, Major Rana 8-6, Noor Pari 8-4, Lady Grey 8-2, Dream Memories 8-2, Sun Downer 8-2, Creek Cat 8-2, Faryal 7-12.

Win: Jewna.

Place: Faryal and Dream Act.

SAHIWAL PLATE CLASS VII

DIV III 900M:

Azeem Prince 9-0, Sana 9-0, Shandar 8-10, Kipshah Gulshan 8-0, Muskan 8-0, Alpha Juliet 7-12, Tarrar Choice 7-10, Sohni Bulbul 7-8, Billoo Love 7-8, Pattola 7-8.

Win: Muskan.

Place: Azeem Prince and Billoo Love.