LAHORE, Feb 4: A strong turn out of four-year-old homebred fillies is all set for the 1000 Guineas Of Pakistan featuring an 11-event card when the 23rd Lahore Winter Meeting is held at the Racecourse here on Monday.

Races scheduled for Sunday has been postponed for a day because of the auspicious day of Eid-Milad-Un-Nabi being celebrated on the same day (Sunday).

Known as the fillies Derby to be gone over the middle distance of 1,600 metres, the event has a magnificent array of equine athletes and promises the best of racing action.

The line up for the showpiece event includes thoroughbred fillies from the best bloodlines.

On recent form and performance on the track it looks a show down between a quartet — National Lady, Goldilocks, Royal Impala and Please Don’t Bet. Whosoever — whoever stays the distance will return home triumphant.

On classification, National Lady has an edge but the stable connections cast shadow of doubt about her fitness in this the eighth event in the racing order.

The winner of 1000 Guineas Of Pakistan brings high prestige for the jockey, trainer and owner and carries a purse only next to Pakistan Derby. It carries a cash prize of Rs300,000 to the winner and Rs100,000 to the second and Rs50,000 to the third besides Rs15,000 for the breeder of the top filly.

The jockeys who have won this event for more than once are Bhoop Singh, Asif Malik, A. Hameed (twice each), Salahuddin II, Memrez (thrice each), A. Razzaq and Flatcher (four each) Aamir Pervez (five). But none had been able to equal the record set up by Shahid Rehman, who won seven times during a span of eleven years in 2001, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2009, 2010 and 2011 partnering Princess Rukhtas, Feel The Freedom, Theatre Breeze, Victory Road, Dixie, Lady Narnia and Quality Road.

The trainers to have won the same distinction are Capt Jack Fownes (6), Mohammad Ashraf (3), Haji Ghulam Sarwar, Haji Fazal Hadi and Tauqir Ahmed (two each).

Shah Mardan Shah II, Pir Pagaro the VII as a single owner had the distinction of winning the prestigious event four times. Syeda Abida Hussain, Rafiq A. Mullick and Sohrab Khan followed Pir Saheb with three wins each and Sardar Mohammad Khan Leghari two wns.

The supporting event, the Anarkali Cup, a term race for three-year-old fillies has seven well-bred animals. Of them the M. Abbas-trained filly Raks-e-Hawa is fancied to win the top honours with Qous-e-Qaza and Hidden Pearl battling it out for the second spot in the seventh race.

The third big event of the day, the Nero Cup, a class IV division I, II and III combined to be gone over 1,300 metres has eight acceptors. Four-year-old colt Royal Baker, who put up a stunning performance a fortnight back will be battling it out with Good Wood with Victory Boy third in the sixth race.

In addition to the three big events there is an interesting race to watch comprising the day’s biggest field of 18 runners vying for supremacy in the fourth race, the Bella Maria Plate class VI division II to be contested over the sprinting distance of 1,200 metres.

The line-up includes at least six good sprinters who have proved their worth on the track. They are Mr Accurate, Sufyan Love, Ziggana First, Golden Queen, Bingo and Adonis.

The first race will be held at 11.00am.