LAHORE: The top Pakistani four and three-year-old fillies will hit the ground in two major events — the 1000 Guineas Of Pakistan and the Anarkali Cup — during the 22nd Lahore Winter Meeting at the Racecourse here on Sunday.

Six four-year-old thoroughbred fillies will make the field jostling over 1,600 metres in their owners’ quest to win the coveted 1000 guineas Of Pakistan, the first classic race of the year.

Known as the ‘Ladies Derby’, the race in which four different stud farms engaged in thoroughbred breeding will be represented is expected to provide moments of thrill to equestrian sports connoisseurs by their finest performance. It will be a golden opportunity for breeders to retrace the old saying in horse-racing “breed the best to the best and hope for the best”.

However, it is generally believed that this maxim does not work always because the pedigree game continues to be wrapped in mystery, and that is why horse-racing is considered a game of chance when it comes to breeding a champion filly or colt.

Looking back at the record of classic races winners, for example the National Breeders Cup, the 1000 Guineas Of Pakistan, the Derby Trials and the Derby, a colt or filly came from the humble background, the other from purple pedigree and yet they found the Winner’s Enclosure, no matter what was their beginning. So everything seems possible in this sport of great uncertainties.

The field for the 1000 Guineas of Pakistan is rather very thin this year. Statistically speaking, Face Book is a winner of four races during her 10-start career and is groomed for this specific event. Desert Rose and Dunya Dubai had won two races each so far and Al Fajre and Simran, one each while Light The Night is still a maiden.

The beauty of the race is that every owner is hoping against hope for his filly’s triumph. This will be the seventh race in racing order.

The supporting event the Anarkali Cup, a term race for the three-year-old fillies to be run over 1,200 metres, has a field of seven acceptors, three of whom have notable performance on the track.

A classic contest is expected to delight racing fans enjoying week end racing.

The second supporting event, the Brave Act Plate Class V (Class IV included) to be contested over 1,200 metres has a star-studded field of 11 runners. The race seems an open affair with a quartet of runners — Edgar, Rukhsar Prince, Wild Wish and Winning Step — in fray.

A card of nine events to be participated by the highest number of 111 acceptors and looking competitive will be decided with the horses running in the first race going under starter’s order at 11.30am.

Following is the field and selections:

THE KHYBER PLATE CLASS VII DIV IV — 1,000M:

Jungle Da Raja 9-2, Chal Samney 8-12, Kali Ghata 8-12, Sawan Prince 8-12, Ma Cheri 8-12, Bulbul Again 8-8, Well In Time 8-8, Assailant Again 8-8, Princess Resham 8-6, Phantom 8-6, All The Time 7-8, Rinkan Gulbahar 7-8, Jug Jug Geo 7-4.

Win: Jungle Da Raja.

Place: Well In Time and Ma Cheri.

THE KHYBER PLATE CLASS VII DIV III & IV — 1,000M:

Pawan Prince 9-0, Naseeb Aya 9-0, Daniel Bryan 9-0, Lucky Sohna 9-0, Iqbal The Great 8-12, Lucky Game 8-6, King Khan 8-6, Captaan 8-4, Vigo 8-4, Gul Bakowli 8-2, Geo Meray Lal 8-0, Gold Medal 8-0, Koail Of Tajpura 7-12, God Father 7-8.

Win: Lucky Game.

Place: Gul Bakowli and Iqbal The Great.

THE KHYBER PLATE CLASS VII DIV II & III — 1,000M:

Hope For All 9-0, Daud Prince 9-0, My Lover Boy 9-0, Steel The Show 8-10, Young Warrior 8-6, Dera Dubai 8-6, Nambardar 8-2, Honey The Prince 7-12, Raja Gee 7-12, New Sher-e-Punjab 7-12, Winning Princess 7-8, Abbas Fun 7-8, Pepina 7-8, Virsa 7-8, Hikmat Rani 7-8.

Win: Honey The Prince.

Place: Raja Gee and Daud Prince.

THE KHYBER PLATE CLASS VII DIV I — 1,000M:

Early Pride 9-0, Aftab Shaheen 8-12, New Tear 8-12, Sahil 8-12, Zartaj 8-12, Bukhara Pride 8-8, White Pearl 8-8, Nikita 8-6, Bridge On the Gap 8-4, Royal Spirit 7-10, Mun Ke Rani 7-10, Kartoos 7-10.

Win: Early Pride.

Place: Sahil and Kartoos.

THE ANARKALI CUP — A TERM RACE FOR THREE-YEAR-OLD FILLIES — 1,200M:

Dosti 9-0, Tulsi 8-7, Colour Me Crazy 8-7, Melsi 8-0, Proposal 8-0, Blue Moon 8-0, Best Of The Lot 8-0.

Win: Colour Me Crazy.

Place: Dosti and Tulsi.

THE BRAVE ACT PLATE CLASS V AND CLASS IV — 1,200M:

Hidden Pearl 10-4, Edgar 9-0, Power House 8-8, Goldilocks 8-0, Rukhsar Prince 7-12, Magic One 7-10, Wild Wish 7-10, Winning Step 7-10, Moon Princess 7-8, Hidden Passion 7-8, Noble Mission 7-8.

Win: Edgar.

Place: Wild Wish and Rukhsar Prince.

THE 1000 GUINEAS OF PAKISTAN — A TERM RACE FOR FOUR-YEAR-OLD PAKISTANI FILLIES — 1,600M:

Desert Rose 8-12, Dunya Dubai 8-12, Light The Night 8-12, Face Book 8-12, Al Fajre 8-12, Simran 8-12.

Win: Dunya Dubai.

Place: Desert Rose and Dunya Dubai.

THE KAGHAN PLATE CLASS VI DIV I & II — 1,200M:

Give Me The Green Light 9-0, April Shower 8-8, Desert Pearl 8-6, Effective 8-0, Revolutionary 8-0, Admiral’s Walk 8-0, Big Confidence 8-0, Quick Million 8-0, Best Naveed 7-12, Sattiana Prince 7-10, Whistling Wind 7-10, Silk Cut 7-10, Angel Eye 7-10, Show Card 7-10, Gujrat Queen 7-10, Sweet Ruby 7-8, Jeevan 7-8, Savante Hill 7-8.

Win: Give Me The Green Light.

Place: Jeevan and Sweet Ruby.

THE KAGHAN PLATE CLASS VI DIV III — 1,200M:

Thanks Dad 9-2, Jewels 8-12, Dreaming High 8-8, Shah Khoban 8-8, Face The Pace 8-8, Blazing Heart 8-8, Golden Sand 8-8, Stone Queen 8-8, Vixen 8-4, Raj Neti 8-4, Fakhr-e-Golra 8-0.

Win: Dreaming High.

Place: Golden Sand and Thanks Dad.

Published in Dawn February 1st, 2015

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