May 27, 2008	Tuesday	Jamadi-ul-Awwal 21, 1429

LAHORE, May 26: Three-year-old bay filly Tuba First completed a hat-trick of victories when she overwhelmed her seven opponents to land the over 1,200 metres feature event during the day/night Lahore Summer Meeting at the Racecourse on Sunday evening.

Tuba First, owned by a breeder named Raja Khushbakht-ur-Rehman, took the lead in the last 100 metres to win by over a length from the bay horse Byron. The short-priced favourite Charismatic, whose odds had eased up from 40 to 100 to evens, finished a hopeless third. This was clear even before the start of the race, that something is amiss of the colt, which was ridden by jockey Shahid Rehman. But this is all in the sport that involves betting. Riding boy Naseer Ahmed rode Tuba First, who was trained by A.B. Malik.

Tuba First owes her victory to her speed and fitness, which beat better animals on classification and that too ridden by the Pride of Performance award winner jockey Shahid Rehman.

The filly’s feat would be a great consolation for Raja Khushbakht who had previously taken up cudgels with the LRC.

The day’s best performer was the three-year-old colt Punjabi in the second race. In spite of going wide on the outer tan in straight, the colt made mockery of his rivals, winning with greatest ease. His victory was a big boost for owner Chaudhry Mohammad Qasim, who believes in always trying his horses even at odds 10 to 100. The colt partnered by Shahid Rehman is trained by A.B. Malik.

Jockey Aamir Pervez and Shahid Rehman shared the day’s riding honours bringing home two winners each. Aamir rode Magic Stride and Alexander in the fourth and fifth race while Shahid had partnered Punjabi and Rustom earlier in the second and third race, respectively.

Apprentice riding boy, Waqas Hadi, showed great promise when riding bay filly My Delilah, to finish second in the fourth race, won by Magic Stride ridden by jockey Aamir Pervez and Striker ridden by Shahid Rehman finishing third. Waqas Hadi thus proved his mettle in the saddle. He had the courage to ride against top jockeys in Lahore.

Punters had a fine day, coupled with a fine weather following morning showers and a partly overcast sky when five favourites won in a card of six events. The favourites were: Chocolate Boy (Evens), Punjabi (15 to 100), Rustam (25 to 100), Magic Strides (70 to 100), and Alexander (80-100).

Meanwhile, the LRC chairman, Tariq Aziz, has accepted the appeal of jockey M. Hanif and granted him permission to ride in races waiving nearly half of his suspension period.

Hanif, the only challenger to leading jockey Shahid Rehman, was suspended for two months for not riding on merit his mount Noor-un-Nisa, who is owned by LRC steward Syed Pervez Hussain, for two months on April 20.

Results:

JHELUM PLATE CLASS VI

DIV III & IV 900M:

Chocolate Boy (Mohammad Anis Butt) 7-10, M. Wasim 1; Pumey De Jan 7-12, A. Alam 2; Malang Aya 7-10, M. Jamil 3; Lucky Coin 8-4, Imran Pervez 4.

Won by 2 L, 1 1/4 L, 3 L. Time 58 1/5 seconds. Winner trained by Aamir Azad.

JHELUM PLATE CLASS VI DIV II 900M:

Punjabi (Chaudhry Mohammad Qasim) 9-0, Shahid Rehman 1; Dream Memories 8-6, A. Rahim 2; So Romantic 7-12, A. Alam 3; Naseeb Apna Apna 9-0, Saqib 4.

Won by 6 1/2 L, 1 L, 1/2 L. Time 56 1/5 seconds. Winner trained by A.B. Malik.

JHELUM PLATE CLASS VI DIV I 900M:

Rustam (A.B. Malik) 8-12, Shahid Rehman 1; Pind De Kuri 8-6, Sajjad Hussain 2; Lighting Muqeem 8-6, Aamir Pervez 3; Justified 8-6, A. Rahim 4.

Won by 1 1/2 L, 3 L, 3/4 L. Time 56 1/5 seconds. Winner trained by the owner.

BAHAWALPUR PLATE

CLASS V DIV 1,100M:

Magic Stride (Amjad Ali Jutt) 9-2, Aamir Pervez 1; My Delilah 8-6, Waqas Hadi 2; Striker 8-6, Shahid Rehman 3; Pak Edition 8-10, M. Jamil 4.

Won by 2 1/2 L, 3/4 L, 2 1/4 L. Time one minute 10 4/5 seconds. Winner trained by Aleemuddin.

BAHAWALPUR PLATE CLASS V

DIV I 1,100M:

Alexander (Wajid Ali Khan) 8-10, Aamir Pervez 1; Lucky Cat 9-0, A. Rahim 2; Munsaf 8-12, Tariq Habib 3; Houstan 8-12, Pervez Bhatti 4.

Won by Distance, 2 L, 1 1/4 L. Time one minute 8 4/5 seconds. Winner trained by Sohail Aziz.

SAHIWAL PLATE CLASS IV

DIV I, II & III 1,200M:

Tuba First (Raja Khushbakht-ur-Rehman) 7-8, Naseer Ahmed 1; Byron 7-8, M. Zeeshan 2; Charismatic 8-6, Shahid Rehman 3; Big Power 7-8, Shakeel Mahmood 4.

Won by 1 1/2 L, 1 L, 3/4 L. Time one minute 15 2/5 seconds. Winner trained by Haji Abid Mahmood.