LAHORE, Aug 31: Riding boy Azam Hussain gave a dazzling display of horsemanship when he performed a hat trick during the Lahore Gymkhana races at the Racecourse on Sunday.
Azam, a lesser light among the riders began the day on a triumphant note romping home chestnut gelding Burrat Again to a one-and-three quarter lengths victory over Ghabra in the opener. He then followed it with an easy three lengths success on Roxanne over Easy Come Easy Go in the second race.
He blazed the trail of wins in the following race riding home Bone Crusher in the subsequent race when he beat Zuhair Choice by one-and-a-half lengths. This was Azam’s career first hat-trick of victories.
The victories of Azam’s three mounts also won distinction for trainer Suhail Aziz, who sent out all his winners to simultaneously register a hat-trick for himself. A former jockey, Suhail Aziz had hung his saddle to become a trainer, a few years back. Now he is being ranked among leading trainers.
Burrat Again and Roxanne are owned by Wajid Ali Khan while Bone Crusher is owned by Syed Hamza Hussain. By virtue of his win on Sunday Bone Crusher has made it two in-a-row.
Also to steal the limelights was trainer I. Nawab, who scored a good double. I. Nawab sent out Steel Legend in the supporting event and Eastern Bird in the feature race. The first five events were contested over the sprinting distance of 900 metres while the sixth and feature event was run over 1200 metres.
Jockey A. Aziz showed fine skill in the saddle when he rode home bay colt Strings to register a remarkable victory in the fourth race. Aziz riding on Strings virtually snatched the race from fancied Chandiwala (Shahid Rehman up) using a runaway tactic which paid him well while Shahid Rehman rode Chandiwala in his usual waiting style and lost the race by three-fourth of a length at the finishing point, chasing the leader all the way home.
The Lahore Race Club (LRC) stewards took no time to over-rule an objection lodged by riding boy Faisal Tahir (Zuhair Choice) placed second against the winner Azam Hussain (Bone Crusher) , for pressing and crossing in the third race.
Results:
Landhi Plate Class VII Div 900m.
Burrat Again (Wajid Ali Khan) 9-1 Azam Hussain 1. Ghabra 8-3 Shahid Mustafa 2. Narala 7-5 Parvez Bhatty 3. Science Fiction 8-4 Khurrum Sheikh 4.
Won by 1 3/4 L, 3/4 L, 1/2 L. Time 58 4/5 secs. Winner trained by Suhail Aziz.
Landhi Plate Class VII Div IV 900m.
Roxanne (Wajid Ali Khan) 8-12 Azam Hussain 1. Easy Come Easy Go 8-9 M. Hussain 2. Silver Baby 8-11 Waqas Sheikh 3. Blue Champion 8-12 Qasim Shah 4.
Won by 3 L, 1 1/2 L, 3 L. Time 58 3/5 secs. Winner trained by Suhail Aziz.
Landhi Plate Class VII Div III 900m.
Bone Crusher (Syed Hamza Hussain) 8-12 Azam Hussain 1. Zuhair Choice 9-0 Faisal Tahir 2. Much Pleasure 8-4 M. Jehangir 3. Sky Hawk 8-13 Azeem Pervaiz 4.
Won by 1 1/2 L, 2 1/2 L, Neck. Time 58 secs. Winner trained by Suhail Aziz.
Landhi Plate Class VII Div II 900m.
Strings (Ghulam Abbas) 8-1 A. Aziz 1. Chandiwala 8-4 Shahid Rehman 2. Raiz Love 7-11 Nazir Ahmad 3. Mohni Road 9-0 Waqas Sheikh 4.
Won by 3/4 L, 7 L, 1 1/4 L. Time 57 1/5 secs. Winner trained by Haji Fazal Hadi.
Landhi Plate Class VII Div I 900m.
Steel Legend (Ijaz Mahmood) 8-10 Shahid Rehman 1. Qaswa Princess 8-10 Shahid Mustafa 2. Hunza 9-3 Khalil Vicky 3. Hot Press 8-7 Javed Iqbal 4.
Won by 3 1/4 L, 5 3/4 L, 3 1/4 L. Time 57 seconds. Winner trained by I. Nawab.
Malir Plate Class V Div I & II 1200m.
Eastern Bird (K. A. Ahmad) 9-0 A. Imran 1. Imagine Iff 8-9 A. Aziz 2. Beena Roy Baby 8-13 Khurrum Sheikh 3. Green Hill 8-11 Azeem Pervaiz 4.
Won by 1 1/4 L, Head, 7 1/2 L. Time one min 17 4/5 seconds. Winner trained by I. Nawab.