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LAHORE, March 30: Four-year-old bay English filly Interiotte gallantly entered the straight chase to win the Queen Elizabeth Cup, run in the over 1,600 metres distance during the Lahore Winter Meeting at the Racecourse on Sunday.
Ridden confidently by jockey Aamir Pervez, Interiotte beat bay English mare Konica, who was piloted by jockey Shahid Rehman, by over seven lengths. Alina Alisha finished third with Grecianette completing the frame.
The winner presented trainer Babar Bhatti with his career’s highest victory, a cause of envy for every jockey, owner and trainer. Konica, who is a frontrunner, was ridden rather patiently by jockey Shahid Rehman, contrary to the mare’s running style which was perhaps the reason for her bad performance in the race, which also deprived owner Syed Pervez Hussain Shah from achieving the distinction of winning the prestigious cup.
Konica and Interiotte were the joint favourites with the odds fluctuating at intervals.
Lahore Race Club (LRC) chairman Tariq Aziz attended races after a long absence and gave away the cup to the winning owner Mian Khan amidst a round of applause from the race fans. It was another big win for jockey Aamir Pervez after his brilliant success with Brave Act in the Pakistan Derby on March 2.
At the prize distribution ceremony, while congratulating jockey Shahid Rehman on getting the President’s Pride Of Performance award, Mr Tariq Aziz also decorated him with the club’s medal that carries a Rs50,000 cash award.
Meanwhile jockeys M. Hanif and Shahid Rehman along with trainer Haji Abid Mahmood shared the day’s racing honours registering a double each. Hanif rode home Dubai Fan and Don’t Follow in the second and third race while Shahid Rehman piloted Great Memories and Lovely Dunit in the fourth and fifth race. Both horses were trained by Haji Abid Mahmood.
Six favourites, namely Mythical Flight (70 to 100), Dubai Fan (25 to 100), Great Memories (even-money), Lovely Dunit (60 to 100), Interiotee (5 to 4) and Rania (20 to 100), won in a card of seven races.
The only upset of the day came through the mare Don’t Follow, who made 11 runners follow her in the third race setting a hot pace all along the 1,100 metres distance.
Favourite colt Pak Edition finished third behind Koshaliya. The bay mare owned by Malik Ghulam Qadir was piloted by jockey M. Hanif.
Results:
SHAH KOT PLATE CLASS VI
DIV I 1,100M:
Mythical Flight (Mohammad Shafiq) 9-0, Naseer Ahmed 1; Honest Minister 8-10, Tariq Habib 2; Big Choice 8-2, M. Zeeshan 3; Extravagant 9-0, Anjum 4.
Won by Neck, 6 1/2 L, 2 1/4 L. Time one minute 10 seconds. Winner trained by Memraiz.
TALAGANG PLATE CLASS V
DIV III 1,100M:
Dubai Fan (Syed Pervez Hussain Shah) 8-10, M. Hanif 1; Munsaf 8-10, A. Imran 2; My Delilah 9-0, Tariq Habib 3; Blue Fire, 7-12 Pervez Bhatti 4.Won by 5 L, 1 L, 3 L. Time one minute 9 seconds. Winner trained by Sohail Aziz.
TALAGANG PLATE CLASS V
DIV 1,100M:
Don’t Follow (Malik Ghulam Qadir Khan) 8-8, M. Hanif 1; Koshaliya 9-0, Shahid Rehman 2; Pak Edition 9-0, Shakeel Mahmood 3; Trump Coup 8-10, Anjum 4.
Won by 1 1/4 L, 1/2 L, 7 L. Time one minute 9 seconds. Winner trained by Haji Abid Mahmood.
TALAGANG PLATE CLASS V
DIV I 1,100M:
Great Memories (Khawaja M. Arif) 9-0, Shahid Rehman 1; Bright Flame 8-6, Tariq Habib 2; Byron 8-6, M. Zeeshan 3; Janu 9-0, Anjum 4.
Won by 3 1/2 L, 1/2 L, Short-head. Time one minute 8 seconds. Winner trained by Haji Abid Mahmood.
ISLAMABAD PLATE CLASS IV
DIV III 1,200M:
Lovely Dunit (Umar Zaman Khan) 8-4, Shahid Rehman 1; Hallow Handsome 9-0, Salahuddin 2; Lucky Cat 8-9, Sajjad Hussain 3; Noor 8-12, M. Zeeshan 4.
Won by 4 1/4 L, Neck, Distance. Time one minute 14 1/5 seconds. Winner trained by Haji Abid Mahmood.
QUEEN ELIZABETH CUP
Class I, II & III 1,600M:
Interiotte (Mian Khan) 8-4, Aamir Pervez 1; Konica 8-8, Shahid Rehman 2; Alna Alisha 8-8, Hidayat Hussain 3; Grecianette 10-12, Khalil Vicky 4.
Won by 7 1/4 L, 4 L, 6 L. Time one minute 38 1/5 seconds. Winner trained by Babar Bhatti.
SHAH KOT PLATE CLASS VI
DIV I & II 1,100M:
Rania (Javed Khalid) 8-2, Shakeel Mahmood 1; Gold Round 8-6, Munir Ahmed 2; Cleopatra 8-10, M. Wasim Khan 3; Athena 8-6, Anjum 4.
Won by 5 L, 1 L, 8 L. Tme one minute 9 4/5 seconds. Winner trained by I. Nawab.
