June 17, 2008	Tuesday	Jamadi-us-Sani 12, 1429

LAHORE, June 16: Fancied filly Miss Liza scorched her way into the limelight, producing a fine burst of speed to land the feature event, run over 1,200 metres, of the Lahore Day/Night Summer Meeting at the floodlit Racecourse on Sunday evening.

The 80 to 100 favourite, Miss Liza, ridden by A. Rahim, romped to a five-length victory over Harry Can View.

Her trainer Haji Fazal Hadi showed magic trick to spur the filly into action, from nowhere in the last run to the top.

Chestnut mare Chill fought with the winner in the early stage and finished third another half a length back.

Races were held in a fine cloudy weather with cool wind blowing across the Racecourse, in an unprecedented atmosphere rarely witnessed in the hot June summer evenings.

Chestnut colt Chinkara displayed consistency and speed to beat the 70 to 100 favourite mare, Noor, by over a length in the fifth and supporting event gone over 1,100 metres.

Ridden smartly by M. Hanif, Chinkara showed deer-like strides to be home ahead of Noor.

From an outside draw, Hanif quickly came on to the rails on the shortest route to victory, he completely mesmerised jockey M. Zeeshan on Noor, seen puzzled by the flying speed of Chinkara.

The 25 to 100 favourite, Qasid, swept to victory in the fourth race to make amends for his last Sunday’s defeat.

Trained by Abdul Rasheed, Qasid beat Big Bird by a margin of five lengths.

Earlier, Dillagi, Diamond Sky, Noorun Nisa and Secret Memories were withdrawn from the race leaving only five runners in the field.

In the second race, bay colt Warid dealt a severe blow to his stable, owned by Lahore Race Club (LRC) steward Khawaja M. Arif, when he pulled up lame during the race.

His entries in races were stopped for two months on the recommendations of the LRC veterinary officer.

Only two favourites obliged punters in a card of six events. As a result, the Super Jackpot remained unsolved.

Meanwhile, racehorse owners, breeders and trainers mourned the death of Syed Wajid Ali Shah, one of the devoted enthusiastic founders of the LRC Kot Lakhpat Complex.

Wajid Ali Shah was elected LRC chairman in January 1982 and held the office for six consecutive terms till Dec 1988. During this time he worked hard to take the club’s ship out of the rocks. He was enrolled LRC member in 1945 during the British rule in the subcontinent and was subsequently elected as steward for many years.

Talking to Dawn, Munir Dar, a steward of the Jockey Club of Pakistan and a breeder, paid scintillating tributes to late Wajid Shah, saying he was a shrewd administrator, who served the club to the hilt. Undoubtedly he was the best sports administrator the country had ever produced. He was a lover of horses as well as a breeder in his hey days.

Owners Mian Maahir Ahmad and Mahmood Khan recalled the days when the late LRC member struggled to rejuvenate the equine sport when it was in the doldrums soon after shifting to the present site.

Shah believed racing was primarily an industry besides being a sport for entertainment. He also believed that the success of horse-breeding depends on fairness and transparency without the interference from any quarters. During his long stint as chairman he proved it.

A man of many dimensions, Syed Wajid Ali Shah was a great lover of horses and above all a gentleman.

Results:

LASBELLA PLATE CLASS VI

DIV III & IV 800M:

Hikmat (Arif Gulzar) 7-10, Sajjad Hussain 1; Dam Dama Dam 8-10, M. Zeeshan 2; Mah-e-Noo 8-8, Naseer Ahmad 3; Chocolate Boy 8-0, Zameer 4.

Won by 5 ½ L, ½ L, Short-head. Time 49 2/5 sec.

Winner trained by Mohammad Naseeb.

LASBELLA PLATE CLASS VI

DIV II 800M:

Stride To Moment (Rana Mohammad Akhtar) 8-0, Pervaiz Bhatti 1; Love Minister 9-0, Naseer Ahmad 2; Rough Tough 8-10, A. Rahim 3; Jang Ju 8-2, Shah Nawaz 4.

Won by 2 L, 1 ¾ L, 4 L. Time 50 1/5 sec.

Winner trained by Mohammad Rafiq Khan.

LASBELLA PLATE CLASS VI

DIV I-B 800M:

Magic Queen (Shahid Mahmood Goga) 8-8, Fareed Ali 1; Brave Heart 9-0, Majid Ali 2; Last Option 8-9, M. Hanif 3; Amazing Boy 8-10, Atif Javaid 4.

Won by 1 ½ L, 1 ½ L, 4 3/4 L. Time 49 1/5 sec.

Winner trained by Aleemuddin.

LASBELLA PLATE CLASS VI

DIV I-A 800M:

Qasid (Gul Zareen Khan) 8-8, Aamir Parvaiz 1; Big Bird 8-12, Shakeel Mahmood 2; Volcano 8-8, M. Zeeshan 3; High Jet 8-8, Salah-ud-Din 4.

Won by 5 L, 7 L, 7 L. Time 49 2/5 sec.

Winner trained by Abdul Rasheed.

RAVI PLATE CLASS V

DIV I & II 1,100M:

Chinkara (Wajid Ali Khan) 8-0, M. Hanif 1; Noor 8-10, M. Zeeshan 2; War Admiral 9-0, Naseer Ahmad 3; Blue Fire 7-4, Sajjad Hussain 4.

Won by 1 ¼ l, 3 ½ L, 2 ¼ L. Time one min 9 1/5 sec.

Winner trained by Sohail Aziz.

SHAH KOT PLATE CLASS IV 1,200M:

Miss Liza (Malik Hamid Ali Noon) 8-4, A. Rahim 1; Harry Can View 8-2, Sajjad Hussain 2; Chill 8-2, Shakeel Mahmood 3; Will He Wish 8-0 M. Zeeshan 4.

Won by 5 L, ½ L, 1 ¾ L. Time one min 15 1/5 sec.

Winner trained by Haji Fazal Hadi.