LAHORE: Three important cup races mark the opening of the year’s first weekend card of eight races which will be gone through during the Lahore Winter Meet­i­ng at the Racecourse here on Sunday.

What makes the programme unique is that it combines two events for country-bred thoroughbreds and one for imported thoroughbreds, the Makhdumzada Syed Hasan Mahmud Memorial New Year Cup, a semi-classic event offering a dazzling show of power by the three-year-old country-bred thoroughbreds over the sprinting distance of 1,000 metres.

In the coveted big prize-money event with Rs800,000 on offer, the 10 high bloodline thoroughbred colts and fillies are to take on the challenge jostling for supremacy in their first mile-stone of the turf career in this fifth race of the day’s card.

On top is filly Gole Ke Queen, a progeny from the bloodline of Ga­l­elio, considered the best stallion in the world even by the lofty standards, a stallion is judged by, he had a remarkable career at stud.

Next in the line are filly from sire Chapter One, Victim of Love and filly Golden Guest, a daughter of Taybalt, a speedy sire over sprinting distance. The other seven acceptors too are well-bred colts and fillies.

The main supporting event, the Golden Drift Cup, a race for imported thoroughbreds to be gone over 1,200 metres has seven blue-blooded imported thoroughbreds heralds the re-introduction of the kind of racing abandoned about nine-years ago.

There seems a great enthusiasm among racing fraternity on the launching of imported thoroughbred racing which is expected to open new vistas of thoroughbred racing as well as breeding in the country. The high profile event will attract the owners to induct best bloodline horses and demonstrate the value and importance of the thoroughbred breeding and racing industry to provide high-class equine sports entertainment to sports lovers. Since this is the first outing of the imported steeds, it is difficult to make any prediction.

The Lahore Race Club (LRC) has a programme to feature a race of imported thoroughbreds fortnightly at Lahore racecourse subject to entries.

The third cup event, the Ghaza­nvi Cup, a Class V and Class VI com­b­ined handicap race to be gone over 1,300 metres has seven ru­n­ners, which looks an open race.

Meanwhile, the LRC stewards have advised all owners/trainers to try their horses at the end of race-margin allowed otherwise they might change the rider for trying the said horse any time.

A large number of horses with the card selling over 92 acceptors will take part in the event races with the horses in the first race coming under starter’s order at 11:30am.

Following is the field and selections:

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

Dil De Rani 9-0, Check 123 8-12, Skype (RRC) 8-10, Kokab 8-10, Rubaba 8-10, River Prince 8-10, Fakhr-e-Niaz Baig 8-8, Malika 8-6, Rani Shah Di 8-6, On The Spot Win 8-6, Sayban-e-Bhakkar 8-6, Sajree Swair (RRC) 8-6, Sub Zero 8-6, Crazy Cat Lady 8-6, Dil-e- Arzoo (RRC) 8-2, Dil De Ruba 8-2, Dhandhla Queen 8-0.

Win: Check 123.

Place: Dil De Rani and Fakhr-e-Niaz Baig.

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

Poetry (RRC) 9-0, Sweet Selection 8-10, Shahanshah (RRC) 8-10, Khan Prince 8-10, New Sonia 8-10, One Four Seven 8-10, Rang-e-Hina 8-10, Very Special (ex-Rose Petal) 8-6, Ripper 8-6, Bubbar Sher 8-6, Fakhr Choice 8-6, Kastoori 8-6, Lead Them Home 8-6, Prince of Dubai 8-4, Neeli The Great 8-4, Aie Sawair 8-3, The Khan 8-0, Happiness Moment 7-12.

Win: Neeli The Great.

Place: Aie Swair and Poetry.

THE SUPER CONQUEST PLATE CLASS VII DIV II — 1,000M:

Helena 9-0, Abdullah Princess 8-12, Satpara 8-12, Prince of Renala 8-12, Hornet 8-10, Boney Light 8-10, Candle 8-8

Win: Hornet.

Place: Satpara and Helena.

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

Shan-e-Sikandar 8-12, Gondal Prince 8-10, New Gujrat 8-8, Banjo 8-6, Punjabi Munda 8-6, Keep It Up 8-4, Babe De Rani 8-0, Cat’s Eye 8-0.

Win: Gondal Prince.

Place: Babe De Rani and Shan-e-Sikandar.

THE MAKHDUMZADA SYED HASAN MAHMUD MEMORIAL NEW YEAR CUP — A TERM RACE FOR THREE-YEAR-OLD — 1,000M:

Victim Of Love 8-11, Gole De Queen 8-11, Dangal 8-7, Four Char Hai 8-7, Alizeh Star 8-7, Sparkling 8-4, Abdullah Choice 8-4, Golden Quest 8-4, Town Girl 8-4, Phenomenal Choice 8-4.

Win: Gole Ke Queen.

Place: Victim Of Love and Golden Guest.

THE GOLDEN DRIFT CUP CLASS IV — 1,200M:

Right To Dream 8-2, Dardwan 8-2, Hal Rumaila 8-2, Radwa 8-2, Queen Anne 8-2, Lady Kaviar 8-2, Pippin Street 8-2.

Win and Place: Watch the ring & connections.

THE GHAZNAVI CUP (CLASS V (CLASS VI INCLUDED) — 1,300M:

Milan 9-2, Malik’s Love 9-0, Light The Way 8-10, Prince 8-8, Gujrat One 8-8, Mighty Wings 8-0, Big Faith 8-4.

Win: Gujrat One.

Place: Mighty Wings & Big Faith.

THE SUPER CONQUEST PLATE CLASS VI DIV IV — 1,300M:

Moon Soon 9-0, Es Sakb 9-0, Nanook 9-0, Lisbon 9-0, Mighty Satiana 8-10, Marshal Attack 8-10, Proposal 8-8, Divine Rhythm 8-8, Minding 8-8, Renala Princess 8-8, Blue Moon 8-4, Voice of Silence 8-4, Dazzling Queen 8-4, Sher-e-Niaz Baig 8-2, Red Flame 8-0, Race The Moon 8-0, Thal Da Badshah 7-10, Sultan-e-Moazzam 7-10.

Win: Marshal Attack.

Place: Divide Rhythm and Voice of Silence.

Published in Dawn, January 7th, 2018