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LAHORE, Feb 26: Fancied bay colt, River Dancer, lifted the Ghazali Cup run over 1,300m during the 26th Lahore Winter Meeting at the Racecourse on Sunday.
The 40 to 1,000 favourite, owned by Javed Khalid and trained by Iqbal Nawab, was perfectly guided to victory by jockey Salah Uddin (II).
This son of Re Play out-of-Friends not Masters, River Dancer lay second behind the leader Shahpur Pride and took to front in the home stretch to win about three lengths.
Incidentally Shahpur Pride is also a son of Re Play out-of a halfbred broodmare, Guinea.
Zardan and Mera Chandiwala completed the frame among dozen starters. Both were confidently backed by their connections.
An LRC steward, Khawaja M. Arif gave away the cup to the winning owner.
Jockey M. Zeeshan was the most successful among the riders.
He brought in three winners. He began his day riding home chestnut colt Royal power to an easy win by eight lengths in the opener.
He then followed it cruising Love Moon and Royal Fish to close wins in the fourth and sixth race of the day.
He, however, was lucky to win on Royal Fish as the riding boy M. Atif did not look serious in riding out his mount Late Arrival who lost by three-fourth of a length.
The champion trainer for two consecutive years, Haji Fazal Hadi and erstwhile champion trainer Iqbal Nawab distinguished themselves by sending out two winners each.
Haji saddled Royal Power and Royal Fish in the opener and the sixth and last race owned by Makhdoom Syed Ali Raza while Nawab saddled Cross Ruff and River Dancer in the third and fifth race of the day.
Three favourites obliged the punters in a card of six events, namely, Royal Power, River Dancer and Royal Fish.
Immediately after the races, the race-goers were presented with glimpses of track-work exercise by about half-a-dozen horses who were to take part in cup races on Derby Day (March 5).
The spectacle was enjoyed by the race-fans being an unusual phenomenon.
Results:
VEHARI PLATE CLASS VII DIV II 1000M.
Royal Power (Makhdoom Syed Ali Raza) 8-13 M. Zeeshan 1. Remember You 8-13 A. Imran 2. Madam Lorina 8-13 A. G. Raza 3.Sundri 8-13 A. Aziz 4.
Won by 8 L, 3 L, 1/2 L. Time one min 3 1/5 secs. Winner trained by Haji Fazal Hadi.
VEHARI PLATE CLASS VII DIV I & II 1000M.
Golden Faith (Mohammad Shafiq Khan) 8-12 Ahmed Shah 1.Billoo The Great 9-0 M. Hanif 2. Wah Bhai Wah 8-13 A. Imran 3. May May 8-12 M. Zeeshan 4.
Won by 4 1/2 L, 1 1/2 L, 7 L. Time one min 4 secs. Winner trained by M. R. Khan.
VEHARI PLATE CLASS V DIV I 1000M.
Cross Ruff (M/s Masood Pervaiz and Javed Khalid) 8-10 Khurrum Sheikh 1. Hello Dancer 9-1 M. Zeeshan 2. Scarlet Empress 9-0 M. Atif 3. Government Gift 8-11 M. Hanif 4.
Won by 1/2 L, 3/4 L, 3 1/2 L. Time one min 3 1/5 secs. Winner trained by I. Nawab.
GHAZALI PLATE CLASS V DIV 1300M
Love moon (Rashid Latif) 8-4 M. Zeeshan 1. Thinkable 8-1 Azhar Hussain 2. Trump Coup 9-0 A. Imran 3. Shaba Queen 8-11 M. Hanif 4.
Won by 1 L, 2 L, 4 1/2 L. Time one min 23 4/5 secs. Winner trained by the owner.
GHAZALI CUP CLASS V DIV I 1300M.
River Dancer (Javaid Khalid) 9-4 Salah-ud-Din (II) 1. Shahpur Pride 8-0 A. Aziz 2. Zardan 8-9 M. Hanif 3. Mera Chandiwala 9-1 Faheem K. 4.
Won by 2 3/4 L, Distance, 4 1/2 L. Time one minute 22 seconds. Winner trained by I. Nawab.
GHAZALI PLATE CLASS V DIV I & II 1300M.
Royal Fish (makhdoom Syed Ali Raza) 8-7 M. Zeeshan 1. Late Arrival 9-0 M. Atif 2. Shehzore Mayla 8-10 Khalil Vicky 3. Welcome Mayla 8-10 4.
Won by 3/4 L, Distance, Distance. Time one minute 27 3/5 seconds. Winner trained by Haji Fazal Hadi.
