LAHORE: Four-year-old colt, Musaf Love, lived up to expectations when he completed a hat-trick of victories winning the fourth race during the day-night racing at the Racecourse here on Saturday evening.

Owned by Junaid Rasheed Rana, the speedy dark-bay colt blitz down the home straight and finally had six lengths to spare over the bay colt Dera Dubai. Bay gelding Victory Malik finished third, another two lengths back.

Musaf Love had earlier to his credit two straight victories. His trainer A. B. Malik and jockey M. Hanif ‘s combination highlighted the day/night racing programme by registering a popular double when they partnered bay filly, Sweet Ruby to win the third race. This was Sweet Ruby’s third success in-a-row.

Trainer Tauqir Ahmad and owner Shahid Hussain’s combination kept on their winning sequence intact for the third consecutive race meeting on Saturday when their rank outsider mare, Ballerina stunned race-goers by winning the Ceasar Plate Class VI run over 1200 metres. She beat chestnut colt, Khan Prince by over a length in the biggest upset of the on-going season. Bay colt Sher Garh finished third, another two lengths behind.

During this race the 20 to 100 favourite bay filly, Excellent Joy dislocated her fetlock a furlong away from the finish line.

Riding boy Qadeer Ahmad rode two winners-Ballerina when he replaced Majid Khan at the starting gate in the fifth race and he then followed it up romping home Excuse Me in the following race. In this race, the second favourite colt, Manu Jee as usual did not take start among fine runners that leaves a big question mark as to why such horses are allowed to race until they are properly trained.

Results: CEASAR PLATE CLASS VII DIVISION IV-B 1000M:

Home Child (Shahbaz Butt) 9-6, Umer Saleem 1; Esperanza 7-10, Tahir Abbas 2; Asim Gee 7-10, Shafqat 3; Naseeb Aya 8-2, Sunny Babu 4. Won by 4 L, 1 L, 4 L. Time: one minute 7 2/5 seconds. Winner trained by Amir Azad.

CEASAR PLATE CLASS VII DIVISION IV-A 1000M:

Mushk-e-Ambar (Zahid Rashid) 7-10, Imran Pervez 1; Fakhar Queen 8-6; S. Raza 2; Brave & Gold 8-6, Allah Rakha 3; Danial Bryan 8-6, Sunny Babu 4. Won by 4 L, Neck, Distance. Time: one minute 6 seconds. Winner trained by the owner.

CEASAR PLATE CLASS VII DIVISION III 1000M:

Sweet Ruby (saqib Ullah Khan) 8-4, M. Hanif 1; Daud Prince 8-2, M. Zulfiqar 2; White Pearl 8-2, Sunny Babu 3; Mah-e-Doura 8-2, Pervez Bhatti 4. Won by Distance, ½ L, ½ L. Time: one minute 2 seconds. Winner trained by A. B. malik.

CEASAR PLATE CLASS VII DIVISION I & II 1000M:

Musaf Love 8-8, M. Hanif 1; Dera Dubai 7-12, Sunny Babu 2; Victory Malik 9-4, A. raza 3; Fist 9-0, M. Zulfiqar 3; Fist 9-0, M. Zulfiqar 4. Won by 6 L, 2 L, Neck. Time: one minute 3 seconds. Winner trained by A. B. Malik.

CEASAR PLATE CLASS VII DIVISION I & II 1200M:

Ballerina (Shahid Hussain) 9-0, Qadeer Ahmad 1; Khan Prince 9-6, M. Hanif 2; Sher Garh 9-4, A.Rraza 3;Royal Song 7-12, Sunny babu 4. Won by 1 ¼ L, 2 L, Distance. Time: one minute 15 3/5 seconds. Winner trained by Tauqeer Ahmad.

CEASAR PLATE CLASS VI DIVISION II & III 1200M:

Excuse Me (Mian Waleed Haroon) 8-12, Qadeer Ahmad 1; Royal Dubai 8-6, Sunny Babu 2; No Conflict 8-6 M. Hanif 3. Sukhanwar 8-0 Allah Rakha 4. Won by ½ L, distance, Distance. Time: one minute 17 4/5 seconds. Winner trained by Qaiser.

Published in Dawn, September 29th, 2014