LAHORE, April 8: Fancied chestnut colt Headingley outclassed his four rivals to win the Mauritius Cup, ran over 1300 metres, during the Lahore Winter Meeting at the Racecourse on Sunday.

The colt took a flying start with jockey Shahid Rehman on the saddle and maintained its lead throughout the race. He beat long chaser Jut Bahadur by about three lengths.

Quince finished close third while Nosheen completed the frame, a distance further behind.

The cup was sponsored by the High Commissioner of Mauritius to Pakistan, Mr Abdool Raschid Meerun.

The diplomat came from Islamabad to witness the race and gave away the cup to winning owner, LRC chairman Tariq Aziz.

Bay filly Dil Vil sprang a big surprise by winning the Muridke Plate Class-IV Division-I, contested over 1300 metres.

She beat Top Cat by over six lengths. Wendy and Zargar completed the board among five runners. Hot favourite bay filly Flying Pet went lame during the race and did not complete it.

Jockey Shahid Rehman had another successful day. He rode three winners — Red Hot Fire, Royal Fish and Headingley — to victory in the first, second and fifth race.

Trainer Sohail Aziz sent out three winners — Red Hot Fire, Prince Salman and Shim Jim – in the first, third and fourth race.

LRC stewards were not satisfied with the handling of Quince by riding boy Zameer and suspended him for three months.

Four favourites obliged favourite-backers when a card of six events went through before a large holiday crowd.

Results:

SHAHDARA PLATE CLASS-V

DIV-I 1200M:

Red Hot Fire (Shahid Mahmood Goga) 9-4 Shahid Rehman 1, Rough Tough 7-13 A. Rahim 2, Moj Mayla 7-8 M. Yaseen 3, Puma The Great 8-10 M. Hussain 4.

Won by 7 L, Neck, 2 3/4 L. Time one min 16 1/5 sec.

Winner trained by Sohail Aziz.

MURIDKE PLATE CLASS-IV

DIV-III 1300M:

Royal Fish (Makhdoom Syed Ali Raza) 9-2 Shahid Rehman 1, Miss Photogenic 9-0 A. Imran 2, Cross Ruff 7-8 A. Rahim 3, Armida 8-7 M. Wasim Khan.

Won by 1 3/4 L, 1 L, Distance. Time one min 22 4/5 sec.

Winner trained by Haji Fazal Hadi.

SHAHDARA PLATE CLASS-V

DIV-11-A 1200M:

Prince Salman (Khalid Malik) 9-2 Anjum 1, Speed Demon 9-0 A. Imran 2, Iconic 8-11 Shahid Rehman 3, Magic Stone 8-12 A. Rahim 4.

Won by 5 L, 2 ½ L, Head. Time one min 15 sec.

Winner trained by Sohail Aziz.

SHAHDARA PLATE CLASS-V

DIV-11-B 1200M:

Shim Jim (Farrukh Shahzad Malik) 8-4 M. Wasim Khan 1, Sharp Burg 9-0 Atif Javaid 2, Safe And Sound 8-6 Anjum 3, Bone Crusher 8-8 Sikander Khan 4.

Won by Distance, 3 L, 1 L. Time one min 17 sec.

Winner trained by Sohail Aziz.

MAURITIUS CUP CLASS-IV

DIV-11 1300M:

Headingley (Tariq Aziz) 8-10 Shahid Rehman 1, Jut Bahadur 9-2 A. Imran 2, Quince 8-2 Zameer 3, Nosheen 8-12 Asad Abbas 4.

Won by 1 3/4 L, Head, Distance. Time one min 23 sec.

Winner trained by I. Nawab.

MURIDKE PLATE CLASS-IV

DIV-1 1300M:

Dil Vil (Javed Khalid) 7-10 A. Rahim 1, Top Cat 9-3 M. Wasim Khan 2, Wendy Trace 7-8 Tariq Habib 3, Zargar 8-3 Imran Pervez 4.

Won by 6 1/2 L, Head, Distance. Time one min 19 4/5 sec.

Winner trained by I. Nawab.