LAHORE, March 2: This year’s Pakistan Derby, which is the most prestigious and glamorous race in the country’s turf calendar and which is being held on Sunday at the Lahore Racecourse, will have a tiny field of just five colts and fillies after the final forfeit on Thursday evening.

The high-profile event took an unexpected turn when some owners opted to withdraw their colts/fillies in presence of three hot contenders — Denzaro, Raks-e-Hawa and Hidden Pearl — who all have had excellent track work while in preparation for the biggest classic race in the four-year-olds life.

In the past there were owners, who ran their colts/fillies for the sake of vanity being excessively proud of the worth of their animals.

But for the equine sport lovers still there is every chance of them enjoying the spectacle of racing’s most dazzling social events such as there are four other cup races like the Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup, the National Breeders Cup, the Stewards Cup and the LRC Cup which add more spice to the Derby Day racing programme.

The main supporting event, the Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup to be gone over 2,000 metres also has five runners.

The second supporting event, the National Breeders Cup, a term race for three-year-old to be run over 1,400 metres has a big field of nine participants.

The participation of the cream of thoroughbreds, including three and four-year-old quality colts and fillies will surely ensure exhilarating racing for the spectators.

Every event on the lengthy card of a dozen races has been framed to encourage best turnout to measure their strides that will be appealing to race-fans.

In particular the cup events have star-studded cast in each of them. Six races will be held over the sprinting distance of 1,000 metres, four over 1,400 metres, one over 2,400 metres and one over 2,000 metres.

The first race will start at 11.30am.

Following is the field and our selections: THE DEMOCRACY PLATE CLASS VII DIV II — 1,000M: True Friend 9-6, John Cena 9-2, Array Of Stars 9-2, Reshman 9-0, Golden Nido 9-0, Golden Spectra 8-10, Pawan Star 8-6, Miss Risky 8-6, Aflatoon 8-6, Candy Doll 8-0, Flash 8-0, Gul-e-Zara 7-10. Win: John Cena. Place: True Friend and Candy Doll. THE DEMOCRACY PLATE CLASS VII DIV I — 1,000M: Easy Time 9-0, Bold Girl 9-4, Jameel Choice 9-0, Home Child 8-9, Amazing Win 9-0, Lucky Goshi 9-0, Danny Boy 8-12, Baba Gee 8-6, Sajjad Prince 8-6, Kingdom 8-2. Win: Bold Girl. Place: Jameel Choice and Baba Gee. THE DEMOCRACY PLATE CLASS VI DIV II-B — 1,000M: Baby Boom 9-0, Olympic Champion 8-12, Sweet Sarrow 8-10, Jhalwan Love 8-10, Queen Of Sky 8-8, Blue Star 8-8, Pawan Prince 8-6, Sweet Dream 8-2, Lady Bird 8-2, Khurram Prince 8-2, Smart Banker 8-2, Tiger Eye 8-2, Pretty Woman 8-2, No Way 8-2. Win: Sweet Sarrow. Place: Blue Star and No Way. THE DEMOCRACY PLATE CLASS VI DIV II-A — 1,000M: Geo Shan Se 9-2, Shaaksi 9-0, Burraq 9-0, Mahver 9-0, Queen Of Sadoki 9-0, Aftab Prince 9-0, Paramount 8-10, Gee Gee 8-10, Amazing Grace 8-10, Reach The Heights 8-10, Desert Pearl 8-10, Desert Flame 8-10, Bridge On The Gap 8-8, Zartaj 8-8. Win: Shaaksi. Place: Reach The Heights and Bridge On The Gap. THE LRC PLATE CLASS V DIV III — 1,400M: Luna 9-0, Lucky Assassi 9-0, Turup Chal 9-0, Penzy 9-0, Happiness For Ever 8-10, Magic One 8-10, Tee Star 8-6, Enigma 8-6, In My Game 8-0. Win: Penzy. Place: Luna and Enigma. THE LRC CUP CLASS V DIV II — 1,400M: Let Me Shine 8-6, Golden Rose 8-12, Al Shamas 8-10, P.K. Princess 8-10, Ballerina 8-4, Formula One 8-2, Royal Impala 8-2. Win: Let Me Shine. Place: Ballerina and Formula One. THE STEWARDS CUP (CLASS IV & V INCLUDED) — 1,400M: Right One 9-0, Malik Gee 9-0, Divine Angel 8-12, Nine Eleven 8-10, Moment Of Truth 8-8, Assassination 8-8, Qous-e-Qaza 8-2, Royal Fairy 8-2, Punters’ Dream 8-2, Shining Glory 7-8. Win: Assassination. Place: Malik Gee and Qous-e-Qaza. THE NATIONAL BREEDERS CUP — A TERM RACE FOR THREE-YEAR-OLD COLTS AND FILLIES — 1,400M: The Incredible 8-8, Malik’s Love (ex-Ioone) 8-5, Pride Of Bhera 8-2, Mano Jee 8-2, Subha Sadiq 8-2, Sufyan Prince 8-2, Wood Berry 7-13, Prosperity 7-13, Snipper 7-10. Win: The Incredible. Place: Wood Berry and Malik’s Love. THE PAKISTAN DERBY 2013 — A TERM RACE FOR FOUR-YEAR-OLD COLTS AND FILLIES — 2,400M: Denzaro 9-0, Macho Man 9-0, Raks-e-Hawa 8-11, Hidden Pearl 8-11, Domination 8-11. Win: Denzaro. Place: Hidden Pearl and Raks-e-Hawa. THE QUEEN ELIZABETH II CHALLENGE CUP — A HANDICAP RACE FOR FOUR-YEAR-OLD AND ABOVE HORSES INCLUDING THOSE IMPORTED — 2,000M: Linn County 10-0, Punjabi 9-4, Jhalwan Blu 8-8, Northern Crown 8-8, Pathan 7-10. Win: Linn County.Place: Pathan and Jhalwan Blue. THE DEMOCRACY PLATE CLASS VI DIV I-B — 1,000M: Power House 9-0, Early Pride 9-0, Al Sabal 9-0, Rapunzel 9-0, Babar Prince 8-11, Predeor 8-11, Fire Prince 8-10, Blue Water 8-10, Lucky Star 8-10, 8-10, My Delite 8-10, General Macarthur 8-7, Come On Salman 8-3. Win: Early Pride. Place: General Macarthur and Predeor. THE DEMOCRACY PLATE CLASS VII DIV I-A — 1,000M: Adonis 9-2, Fakhr-e-Danial 9-2, Dora 9-0, Effective 9-0, Bella 9-0, Air Force One 9-0, Special Time 9-0, Mirana Shaheen 9-0, Kokab 8-12, Economical 8-10, Winning Moment 8-10, Excellent 8-10, Pari Packer 8-10, Abdullah Prince 8-10, Rukhsar Prince 8-9, Assailant 8-7, Finance Minister 8-2. Win: Kokab. Place: Fakhr-e-Danial and Dora.