LAHORE, May 4: Luck was on owner Syed Pervez Hussain and trainer Sohail Aziz’s side when they came together to recorded a great triumph, winning four races during the day/night Lahore Summer Meeting at the Racecourse on Sunday evening.
Their rare feat also included a hat-trick of victories in the first three races with Armida (1st race), Noor-un-Nisa (2nd race), Iconic (3rd race) and Dubai Fan (5th race) as the winners.
With the exception of Armida, the other three happened to be heavily backed odds-on favourites.
The four to one chance bay colt Apex put on a spirited performance by winning the Farewell Cup run over the 1,600 metres distance. Ridden by jockey Abdul Rahim, Apex set his own pace to lead all the way home and beat the odds-on favourite bay filly Lovely Dunit by over a length’s margin. Grue and Noor completed the frame among the five runners left in the field after the last-minute withdrawal of Sher-e-Punjab.
Three-year-old chestnut colt Magic Stride caused a major upset in the third race when he beat both joint-favourites Majestic Desert and Eve, ridden by jockeys Aamir Pervez and Salahuddin, respectively.
The Lahore Race Club (LRC) stewards not being satisfied with the handling of Pick Of The Day by jockey A. Imran, suspended him from riding for three months along withy imposing a Rs20,000 fine on him.
Five favourites won in a card of seven events gone through during the day/night programme.
Jockey Shahid Rehman and the riding boy Khalil Vicky, each bringing home a brace of winners, shared the day’s riding honours. Shahid rode Noor-un-Nisa and Dubai Fan while Khalil partnered Armida and Iconic.
Results:
OKARA PLATE CLASS VI
DIV III 1,000M:
Armida (Syed Pervez Hussain Shah) 8-6, Khalil Vicky 1; Victory King 7-10, Sajjad Hussain 2; Mama Mia 8-0, Ali Raza 3; Shah Rani 8-6, M. Akram 4.
Won by 1 L, 3/4 L, 4 1/2 L. Time one minute 4 4/5 seconds. Winner trained by Sohail Aziz.
OKARA PLATE CLASS VI
DIV I-B 1,000M:
Noor-un-Nisa (Syed Pervez Hussain) 8-10, Shahid Rehman 1; Tyson 8-12, Sajjad Hussain 2; Honest Minister 8-12, Ali Raza 3; Aaja Bulbul 8-6, Bilal Ahmed 4.
Won by 1 3/4 L, 4 L, 2 1/4 L. Time one minute 3 4/5 seconds. Winner trained by Sohail Aziz.
OKARA PLATE CLASS VI DIV II 1,000M:
Iconic (Syed Pervez Hussain) 9-0, Khalil Vicky 1; Jewna 8-2, Sajjad Hussain 2; Divine Jury 8-12, Javed Iqbal 3; First Passion 8-12, A. Alam 4.
Won by 5 3/4 L, 5 L, 3 L. Time one minute 4 1/5 seconds. Winner trained by Sohail Aziz.
OKARA PLATE CLASS V DIV I-A 1,000M:
Magic Stride (Jamshed Khan) 9-0, M. Zeeshan 1; Majestic Desert, Aamir Pervez 2; Eve 9-0, Salahuddin 3; Love Minister 8-12, Ali Raza 4.
Won by 3/4 L, 2 3/4 L, 1/2 L. Time one minute 3 1/5 seconds. Winner trained by M.R. Khan.
PAKPATTAN PLATE CLASS V
DIV I 1,200M:
Dubai Fan (Syed Pervez Hussain) 8-11, Shahid Rehman 1; Gulf Line 8-2, Shakeel Mahmood 2; Emperor 8-10, Anjum 3; Zoaq 9-0, Abdul Rahim 4.
Won by 6 1/2 L, 4 L, 1/2 L. Time one minute 16 1/5 seconds. Winner trained by Sohail Aziz.
PAKPATTAN PLATE CLASS V
DIV II 1,200M:
Big Power (Shahid Mahmood) 9-2, Aamir Pervez 1; Munsaf 8-6, Salahuddin 2; Alishba 9-0, Ali Raza 3; Dillagi 9-0, Shahid Rehman 4.
Won by 4 1/2 L, 4 L, 2L. Time one minute 15 3/5 seconds. Winner trained by Aleemuddin.
FAREWELL CUP CLASS IV
DIV I, II & III 1,600M:
Apex (Mian Khan) 8-6, Abdul Rahim 1; Lovely Dunit 9-2, Shahid Rehman 2; Grue 8-0, Shakeel Mahmood 3; Noor 7-10, M. Zeeshan 4.
Won by 1 1/4 L, 3 L, 4 L. Time one minute 41 4/5 seconds. Winner trained by Babar Bhatti.