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LAHORE, Oct 14: With an impeccable record of four straight wins, River Dancer, will be on the trot to stretch it further when the 7th Lahore Winter meeting gets under way at the Racecourse on Sunday.
The three-year-old bay colt is contesting the October Cup, a class one, two and three combined handicap race to be gone over 1600m
The colt from Re Play-out-of Friends Not Master, River Dancer is being tipped among the leading classic hopes. He picked up three races in quick succession during last year season and the yet another with a facile victory on September 23
River Dancer faces five opponents, four of them champions in their own right including Thrill, who dominated the Racecourse and won the Pakistan Derby 2006 and is handicapped at ten stones three pounds besides Lucky Winner, Sher-e-Gujrat and Trace Hit, who have all captured the attention of racing public at occasions.
But the kind of form River Dancer is in at present and the weight scales in handicap give an edge to the shapely colt to win a classic battle on Sunday.
The connections will show wisdom and engage a good rider on him otherwise the edge he has will be wasted. They have already had a bitter experience last Sunday when they engaged a novice rider on their favourite filly, Lovely Gate.
Three-year-old bay filly, Noor, who had to her credit three back-to-back wins is being fancied to lift the Islamabad Cup to be run over the sprinting distance of 1200 metres. This filly from Cisco Wells out-of-No Lunch will be facing a strong field of 16 runners barring last-minute withdrawals.
Her main opponents could be Safe And Sound, if he remains sound, Jewna and great Murad.
There are eight acceptors for the Nursery Cup, a term race of two-year-old throughbred colts and filles over 900m.
Five colts and three fillies will be on the course to open their debut in racing and nothing can be said how they are going to perform. As for the race is concerned it provides a good spectacle and an idea about the worth of new bloodstock.
A card of six events has been drawn for the race-goers with a couple of good events providing thrilling finishes and a classic battle. The first race will start at 1pm.
The following are the fields and our selections.
KOT RADHA KISHEN PLATE CLASS VII DIV I 1200M:
Billoo The Great 9-1 Black Leopard 9-0 Scarlet Empress 8-10 Black King 8-10 Philosopher 8-10 Crystal Heart 8-8 Tornado 8-4 Cheeku Baba 8-2 High Hope 7-10 and Dam Dama Dam.
Win: Tornado
Place: Dam Dama Dam and Philosopher.
NURSERY CUP (A TERM RACE FOR TWO-YEAR-OLD THOROUGHBRED COLTS AND FILLIES) 900M:
Chinkara 8-8 Do Or Die 8-8 Royal King 8-8 Royal Luck 8-8 Aftab-e-Bhakkar 8-8 Mubashera 8-5 Scarlet O' Hara 8-5 and Princess Of Gujrat 8-5.
Win & Place: Watch their connections.
ISLAMABAD PLATE CLASS V DIV II 1200M.
King Of Murad 9-4 Blu's Wendy 9-0 Azam Love 9-0 Volcano 8-10 Manu Janu 8-10 Al Ain 8-10 Mamula 8-8 Armida 8-7 Hero's Hope 8-6 Bone Crusher 8-4 King Kong 8-4 Decent Wind 8-2 Token Of Love 8-0 and Mama Mian 7-13.
Win: King Of Murad.
Place: Mamula and Al Ain.
ISLAMABAD CUP CLASS V DIV I 1200M:
Golden Faith 9-2 Wendy Trace 9-0 Safe And Sound 9-0 Dilam 9-0 Noor 9-0 Angara 8-10 Jewna 8-6 Jewna 8-6 Grace Glamour 8-6 Julia Robert 8-4 Daisy Against All 8-2 Grey Swallow 8-2 great Murad 8-2 Cross Ruff 8-1 Untar 8-0 and Viana Coup 8-0.
Win: Noor.
Place: Great Murad and Safe And Sound.
SANGLA HILL PLATE CLASS IV DIV I & II 1200M:
Chan 9-4 Fajer 8-13 Don't Follow 8-11 Who Dares 8-10 Lucky Murad 8-10 Nosheen 7-8 Puma The Great 7-8 War Admiral 7-8 High Fire 7-8 and Golden Goal 7-8.
Win: Chan.
Place: War Admiral and Fajr.
OCTOBER CUP CLASS I, II & III 1600M:
Thrill 10-3 Lucky Winner 9-2 Sher-e-Gujrat 8-6 Trace Hit 8-4 River Dancer 8-4 and Zargar 7-10.
Win: River Dancer.
Place: Sher-e-Gujrat and Trace Hit.
