LAHORE: The JDW Pakistan Derby, the most prestigious annual horseracing event, will be the highlight of an 11-race card of the Derby Day Racing Festival at the Racecourse here on Sunday.
Sponsored by the Jamal Din Wali (JDW) Group of Industries, which is owned by Lahore Race Club (LRC) chairman Makhdum Syed Ahmad Mahmud who has contributed Rs2 million for the Derby purse for the second successive year, the day’s programme promises classic equine action, festivity and cups galore, which makes it a memorable national fixture and is unique in many ways amidst a superb blend of excitement and sentiments expressed by the stake-holders and racing fans alike.
The Pakistan Derby, a term race for four-year-old colts and fillies, has long been a showpiece event. From the very start in 1947 it brings together the best long distance performers from different international bloodlines from generation to generations and is now well established as the most shinning jewel in the crown of Lahore Winter Meetings.
A star-studded cast of nine runners will be on the course for the 2,400-metre spectacle, which is taking place for the 74th time. All the contenders in the run for the honours have had strong finishes in their preparatory outings to make credible claim for cup glory. It looks like a contest between Sahil, Exceptional One, Governor and Manthaar. By his top performance Sahil will be the favourite.
The Main supporting event, the Shah Mardan Shah 1II the Pir Pagara VII National Breeders Cup looks to be an open affair as most of the 10 runners in the term race for three-year-olds have had been good performers in earlier outings. However,Alamgirian, Breaking Bad, Taksim Square and Royal Nawab look better on past performances.
Five other cup races mark the card prominently—Syed Wajid Ali Shah Memorial Cup, Chaudhry Mohammad Saeed Memorial Cup, Syed Abid Hussain Memorial Cup, LRC Stewards Cup and the LRC Cup. The first race will be held at 12.00noon.
Meanwhile, LRC stewards Mohammad Kaleem Khan and Mahmood Rafi Khan told Dawn that the stakeholders have highly appreciated Makhdum Syed Ahmad Mahmud’s contribution for the good of sports and betterment of owners by introducing new slabs of increased prize-money creating an atmosphere of co-operation and goodwill among stake holders for the benefit of racing and horse-breeding. They said that on a single Derby Day racing a huge amount of Rs8.2 will be offered.
Following is the field and selections:
THE MOJ-E-BAHAR PLATE CLASS VII DIV V (MAIDENS) — 1,000M:
Duchess 9-0,Mehak 9-0, Champion Of Mind 9-0, Sultan Jahaniya 9-0,Sitara Princess 9-0, Tranquil One 8-10, Open Challenge 8-10, Herchal 8-10,Mahagony Boy 8-6, Revolver 8-6, Real Commando 8-2, Son Of Jutt 8-0, Amigo 7-12, Chota Pathan 7-12, Mehrban 7-8.
Win: Champion Of Mind.
Place: Open Challenge and Sitara Princess.
THE MOJ-E-BAHAR PLATE CLASS VII DIV V — 1,000M:
New Rebel 9-0, Finisher 9-0,Ubbi 8-12, Smiling Again 8-8, Zil Prince 8-6, Punjabi Munda 8-4, Golden Pound 8-4, Zahid Love 8-4, Sajree 8-2, After Hero 8-0, Fakhr-e-Sadiq Abad 7-12, Bano 7-12,Anmole One 7-12, Zaman Sahib 7-10.
Win: Ubbi.
Place: Finisher and Golden Pound.
THE MOJ-E-BAHAR PLATE CLASS VII DIV III & IV — 1,000M:
Wahab Choice 9-0, Silken Black 8-10, Tatla Pride 8-10, Eden Rock 8-6, Faizi Choice 8-6, Race The Moon 8-4, Ayubia Princess 8-4, Chota Dera 8-2, Golden Arrow 8-2, Super Asia 8-2, Sweet Golden 8-2, Tatla Princess 8-2, Red Boy 8-0, Master Prince 7-13, Hide Out 7-10, Jonti Road 7-8.
Win: Hide Out.
Place: Faizi Choice and Silken Black.
THE LRC CUP CLASS VII DIV II & III — 1,000M:
Lucky Is Me 9-0, Chota Jharra 9-0, Jan-e-Fida 8-8, Abdullah Princess 8-8,Jaidi’s Pride 8-4, Royal Ascot 8-4,Khabib8-2, Badeera 8-0, Ask Me 8-0, Bright Gold 7-8.
Win: Jaidi’s Pride.
Place: Royal Ascot and Lucky Is Me.
THE SYED WAJID ALI SHAH MEMORIAL CUP CLASS VII DIV I — 1,400M:
Ibram Prince 9-0, Well Done Pakistan 9-0,Timbo 9-0, Sparking 8-8, Believe Me 8-8, Al Khalid 8-8, Warrior’s Call 8-8, Salam-e-Dera 8-6, Naymar 8-4, Lorenzo 8-2, Sky Active 8-1, Banaras Prince 8-0.
Win: Warrior’s Call.
Place: Timbo and Banaras Prince.
THE SHAH MARDAN SHAH II PIR PAGARA VII MEMORIAL NATIONAL BREEDERS CUP — 1,400M:
Samsa 9-0,Alamgirian 8-8, Breaking Bad 8-8, Taksim Square 8-5, Royal Nawab 8-2, Convict 7-13, Purnoor 7-13, Widad 7-13, Mr Gondal 7-10, Rashk 7-10.
Win: Alamgirian.
Place: Breaking Bad and Taksim Square.
THE JDW PAKISTAN DERBY 2021 — 2,400M:
Amazing Runner 9-0, Big Move 9-0, Exceptional One 9-0, Governor 9-0, Gondal Gift 9-0,Manthaar 9-0, Nayel 9-0,Sahil 9-0, Haiku 8-11.
Win: Sahil.
Place: Exceptional One, Manthaar and Governor.
THE CHAUDHRY AHMAD SAEED MEMORIAL CUP CLASS VII DIV II (MAIDENS) — 1,200M:
Stunning One 9-0, Silver Fast 9-0,Sohrab ‘s Song 9-0, Mirza One 8-10,Sharegaar 8-7, Imran princess 8-6, Hash Tag 8-6, Bambsi 8-6, Thousand Love 8-2, Wild Coast 8-2, Hamlet 8-0,Massira’s Song 7-13, Noor-e-Kainaat 7-13, Danzora 7-10.
Win: Sohrab’s Song.
Place: Hash Tag and Mirza One.
THE RETIRED COLONEL SYED ABID HUSSAIN MEMORIAL CUP CLASS VI DIV II, III & IV — 1,200M:
Special One 9-4, Innocent One 8-12, Rapunzel Beauty 8-12, Tiger Jet 8-6, Sanctity 8-2, Amazing Lips 8-0, Shah The Great 7-12, Mera Bhakkar 7-10.
Win: Special One.
Place: Sanctity and Innocent One.
THE STEWARDS CUP CLASS VII DIV II — 1,200M:
Rang-e-Hina 9-0, Zandora 9-0, Socrates 9-0, Drums Of War 9-0, The Kingdom 9-0, Another Island 9-0, Miss World 8-12,Jalpana Prince 8-8, Raining Fairy 8-6, Surkhab 8-6, Prince Of Arab 8-6, Prince Of Multan 8-4.
Win: Socrates.
Place: Zandora and Surkhab.
THE MOJ-E-BAHAR CUP CLASS VII DIV V — 1,000M:
Samore Princess 9-0, Big Foot 9-0, Take Care 8-10, Safdar Princess 8-10,Humayun Choice 8-10, Merchant Of Venus 8-10, Victory Free 8-10, Bright Bomber 8-8, Azm-e-Nau 8-4,Shawaz-e-Princess 8-2.
Win: Humayun Choice.
Place: Victory Free and Merchant Of Venus.
Published in Dawn, March 7th, 2021
