LAHORE: Odds on favourite bay colt Prince Albert led all the way to a remarkable front-running display of speed to land the Monsoon Cup during the day/night Lahore Summer Meeting at the floodlit Racecourse here on Sunday evening.

The son of Denmark-bred sire Chapter One registered an easy success under rider Shakeel Mahmood going away by five lengths in the event contested over the sprinting distance of 1,000 metres from filly Sparking who could make no impression whatsoever on the leader despite chasing him through to the finish line.

Chestnut mare Goldee finished third by a neck while filly Madhuri Dixit completed the frame, a further two lengths behind, among six runners.

Prince Albert was named as son of Chapter One by owner Haji Chaudhry Asghar Ali but he changed his name to Prince Albert on the advice of Lahore Race Club (LRC) chairman Tariq Aziz. The colt has won two races and was placed once in his five outings to-date.

Meanwhile, the LRC stewards were not satisfied with the dismal show of bay mare Beach Beauty in the second race and fined Rs50,000 on her trainer Mohammad Afzal. The mare opened a co-favourite but odds drifted upwards later.

Trainer Haji Abid Mahmood and riding boy Alam Sher combined to register a good double through Piyari Malangni (fourth race) and Buzkushi (fifth race) while trainer Tanvir Aslam sent out three winners and another trainer Mohammad Abbas saddled two winners to share the day’s racing honours in an unusual scenario in which three trainers were rewarded.

Three well-backed horses obliged the punters when a card of eight races was gone through during the evening racing.

Results:

THE MONTREAUX PLATE CLASS VII DIV V (MAIDENS) — 900M:

Lahori Badshah (Imran Khan) 9-0, Ghaus Bakhsh 1; Khan Gul 9-0m Mohammad Atif 2; Golden Beauty 8-8, Ali Imran 3; Mohni Queen 8-8, Munir Hussain 4.

Won by 4 L, 9 L, ½ L. Time: 56 4/5 seconds. Winner trained by Mohammad Abbas.

THE MONTREAUX PLATE CLASS VII DIV V — 900M:

Dil De Ruba (Asim Raza) 8-10, Pervez Bhatti 1; Hockey Star 8-2, Babar Rehman 2; Zahid Love 7-10, Deenar Mirwani 3; Sheba 8-8, Sunny Babu 4.

Won by ¾ L, 2 L, 1½ L. Time: 56 1/5 seconds. Winner trained by Tanvir Aslam.

THE MONTREAUX PLATE CLASS VII DIV IV — 900M:

Noor-e-Sehar (Asim Raza) 8-10, Safdar Ali 1; Bau Jee 9-0, Tahir Abbas 2; Nice Moon 8-8, Ali Imran 3; King Queen 8-8, Mohammad Munir II 4.

Won by 2 L, 2¼ L. Time: 57 4/5 seconds. Winner trained by Tanvir Aslam.

THE MONTREAUX PLATE CLASS VII DIV IV — 900M:

Piyari Malangni (Sajjad Ali) 8-10, Alam Sher 1; Nice One 9-0, Anjum 2; Lala Rukh 8-4, Deenar Mirwani 3; Moman Princess 8-10, Aftab Chaudhry 4.

Won by 6 L, Short-head, Neck. Time: 55 1/5 seconds. Winner trained by Haji Abid Mahmood.

THE MONTREAUX PLATE CLASS VII DIV III & IV — 900M:

Buzkushi (Ata Mohammad Khan) 8-10, Alam Sher 1; Neeli De Malika 8-10, Sunny Babu 2; Jan-e-ida 8-8, Munir Hussain 3; Afzaal Choice 8-6, Abdul Hakeem 4.

Won by ½ L, 3 L:, 6 L. Time: 54 2/5 seconds. Winner trained by Haji Abid Mahmood.

THE MONTREAUX PLATE CLASS VII DIV II & III — 900M:

Wali Choice (Aftab Ahmed) 8-10, Mohammad Hanif 1; Helena 8-6, Sunny Babu 2; Banjo 9-0, Tahir Abbas 3; Natalia 8-4, Pervez Bhatti 4.

Won by 4 L, 4 L, Distance. Winner trained by Mohammad Abbas.

THE MONTREAUX PLATE CLASS VII DIV I & II — 900M:

Salam-e-Dera (Asim Raza) 8-6, Babar Rehman 1; Kastoori 8-8, Tahir Abbas 2; Race The Moon 8-2, Deenar Mirwani 3; Keep It Up 9-0, Pervez Bhatti 4.

Won by 2¼ L, 2¼ L, 5 L. Time: 53 1/5seconds. Winner trained by Tanvir Aslam.

THE MONSOON CUP CLASS VI — 1,000M:

Prince Albert (Haji Chaudhry Asghar Ali) 8-2, Shakeel Mahmood 1; Sparking 8-8, Mohammad Hanif 2; Goldee 9-6, Ali Raza 3; Madhuri Dixit 7-12, Deenar Mirwani 4.

Won by 5 L, Neck, 2 L. Time: 59 1/15 seconds. Winner trained by Aleemuddin.

Published in Dawn, July 23rd, 2019