July 08, 2008	Tuesday	Rajab 4, 1429

LAHORE, July 7: Fancied chestnut colt Velocity decimated his field to win the feature event of the day/night Lahore Summer Meeting at the Racecourse on Sunday evening.The three-year-old son of Vitellozi out-of-Gambling Princess raced home three lengths ahead of Arzoo to bag the event run over 1,100 metres.

Though the time of the race distance was slower, it was a performance of high calibre by the pedigreed colt, who is improving with each running.

Ridden by jockey Shahid Rehman, the colt is trained by Allah Bakhsh Malik for Chaudhry Tahir Mohammad.

By any standards the colt is in the making of a classic charger for next winter meetings, provided the trainer/owner duo does not indulge in hanky-panky business of earning money through fair and foul means, a curse engulfing the Racecourse these days.In the supporting and fifth race, long shot Brave Heart sprang a big surprise overturning favourite Snow Fall and second favourite Big Bird.

Ridden by Majid Ali, Brave Heart took up the running as the gates opened and built up a commanding lead.

Snow Fall ridden by jockey M. Zeeshan lacked sparkle of her earlier victories. The blue-eyed boy of stewards in the saddle too was not so enthusiastic and content with a place at best. The result of the race was evident even at the 200 metres post that the filly Snow Fall, owned by Mian Mohammad Ashraf, would finish third.

A similar incident took place a race earlier in the fourth event, when bay colt Shock Wave was not allowed to perform on merit by his rider Shakeel Mahmood.

The son of Watbhat Nashwan, owned by a Jockey Club of Pakistan (JCP) steward, Javed Khalid, was backed heavily by race-goers because of his reputed bloodline.

Watbhat Nashwan is said to have been imported by a breeder for breeding polo horses.

As the race began, bay filly Darnaz took the lead and she went on to win defeating Last Option by three lengths.

Shock Wave ran true to his name bringing the worst ever shock wave for the backers.

It is presumed that prior to the owner, the race-goers had fancied the colt and backed it heavily. Since the odds came down to 40 to 100, the owner could not back him. The question arises, who manoeuvred all this? Horse-owners perhaps forget that once the horse enters the paddock, he becomes a public property.

Javed Khalid may be having an excuse that the colt was running after long lay off since March 16 but at the same time he belongs to the race administrators as the JCP steward, a body which used to be the supreme racing body in the country.

One can recall an incident in which the Jockey Club of England’s one steward was involved and he was served a strong warning to never indulge in such things again which are against the sport’s interest.

Anyway this is all in the game. Owners, trainers and jockeys fall prey to lures which have great attraction and power for those who have no scruples.

Only two favourites won in a card of six races. They were: Mera Chan (30 to 100) and Velocity (20 to 100).

Riding boy Naseer Ahmad stole the limelight riding home two winners –- Mera Chan and Darnaz.

It is generally believed the horseracing is an addiction and once roped in, becomes difficult to come out of it. Whatever opinion one may have but it is true in case of a former owner Sheikh Aslam Rasheed, who have again joined the ranks of horse-owners, after over four decades and at a very ripe age of nearly 80.

Good Luck to him.

Results:

SHAHDARA PLATE CLASS VI

DIV IV 800M:

Mera Chan (Chaudhry Qamar Iqbal) 9-0, Naseer Ahmed 1; Cocolate Boy 8-4, M. Wasim 2; Malang Aya 7-10, Fareed Ali 3; Noor Pari 9-0, M. Nawaz Bilal 4.

Won by Distance, 6 L, Distance. Time 51 2/5 sec.

Winner trained by Chaudhry Mohammad Rafiq.

SHAHDARA PLATE CLASS VI

DIV III 800M:

Little Love (Chaudhry Mohammad Rafiq) 9-0, Tariq Habib 1; Dam Dama Dam 8-8, M. Atif 2; Mah-e-Noor 8-6, Naseer Ahmed 3; Free Hit 9-0 Pervez Bhatti 4.

Won by 1/2 L, 5 L, 3 L. Time 51 2/5 sec.

Winner trained by the owner.

SHAHDARA PLATE CLASS VI

DIV II 800M:

So Romantic (Mian Javed) 7-12, Alam Sher 1; Sona 8-4, Sajjad Hussain 2; Little Smile 8-10, M. Atif 3; Cleopatra 8-2, Bilal Ahmed 4.

Won by 1 3/4 L, 2 1/2 L, 3 L. Time 51 2/5 sec.

Winner trained by the owner.

SHAHDARA PLATE CLASS VI

DIV I-B 800M:

Darnaz (Mohammad Ali Khan Maneka) 8-10, Naseer Ahmed 1; Last Option 9-0, Javed Iqbal 2; Shock Wave 8-12, Shakeel Mahmood 3; Pakeeza 8-12, M. Atif 4.

Won by 3 L, 2 3/4 L, 4 1/4 L. Time 50 4/5 sec.

Winner trained by Shakir Hussain.

SHAHDARA PLATE CLASS VI

DIV I-A 800M:

Brave Heart (Mohammad Siddique) 8-6, Majid Ali 1; Big Bird 8-12, Fareed Ali 2; Snow Fall 9-0, M. Zeeshan 3; Blue Fire 8-10, M. Bilal 4.

Won by Head, 2 L, 3 1/2 L. Time 50 2/5 sec.

Winner trained by the owner.

RAVI PLATE CLASS V

DIV I & II 1,100M:

Velocity (Chaudhry Tahir Mahmood) 8-4, Shahid Rehman 1; Arzoo 7-8, M. Jamil 2; Perfect Promise 8-2, Sajjad Hussain 3; Handsome Hope 8-6, M. Zeeshan 4.

Won by 3 L, 8 1/2 L, 2 L. Time one minute 15 sec.

Winner trained by Allah Bakhsh Malik.