LAHORE, Oct 24: Punters suffered heavy losses on Wednesday when only one firm favourite obliged them in a card of six events during the mid-week Lahore Gymkhana races at the Racecourse. The lone favourite to win was the odds-on bay gelding Mohni Road in the second race. The fancied animals in the remaining five races flopped, one after the other, leaving their backers flabbergasted.
The chestnut gelding Ichhra (5 to 1), the bay gelding Thank You Dear (8 to 1), the chestnut mare Rehmat Ka Phool (10 to 1), the bay colt Badal (4 to 1) and the chestnut colt Unbeatable (7 to 1) were the winners in the first, third, fourth, fifth and sixth events, respectively. These animals had been ignored by the punters.
The unbacked chestnut colt Unbeatable proved worthy of his name, when he strode to a pillar-to-post victory in feature event. This was the sixth and last race of the day.
The colt Unbeatable defeated by one-and-a-half lengths, the bay filly Iram Star. The bay horse Wing Commander finished third, four lengths further behind while the fancied Fight Again completed the frame, three-fourth of a length further back. In all, 13 ran for the feature event after the last-minute withdrawal of the bay gelding Right Side from the contest.
Trainer Mohammad Hanif carried the day’s honours by saddling three winners, a feat rarely achieved at the Lahore races. His winners were Ichhra Prince, Badal and Unbeatable.
The following are the results:
THE MELSI PLATE CLASS VIII (B) 6 FURS:
Ichhra Prince (Choudhry Mohammad Sadiq) 9-0 Mujahid Ali (II) 1. Bach Fly 8-7 Parvez Bhatty 2. Royal Spring 8-2 A. Aziz 3. Lucky Love 8-11 Iftikhar 4.
Won by 1/2 L,8 L, 1 L.
Time one minute 222 2/5 seconds.
Winner trained by Mohammad Hanif.
THE MELSI PLATE CLASS VII DIVISION VII & VIII 6 FURS:
Mohni Road (Mohammad Amin) 8-4 Kamran 1. One Touch 7-13 M. Hussain 2. Hogan 7-10 Nadeem Ikram 3. Calypso Dancer 8-3 Tehseen Hussain 4.
Won by 6 1/4 L, 4 1/2 L, 8 L.
Time one minute 20 4/5 seconds.
Winner trained by the owner.
THE MELSI PLATE CLASS VII DIVISION VII (B) 6 FURS:
Thank You Dear (Zeeshan Ayub) 8-10 A. Aziz 1. Sugar Dady 8-6 2. Royal Honey 8-1 M. Hanif 3. Last Love 7-13 M. Nawaz (II) 4.
Won by 1/2 L, 3/4 L, 1 L.
Time one minute 22 3/5 seconds.
Winner trained by M. Ayub Butt.
THE MELSI PLATE CLASS VII DIVISION VII (A) & (B) 6 FURS:
Rehmat Ka Phool (Fareed Akhtar Mir) 8-3 Kamran Hussain 1. Russian Pet 7-13 Parvez Bhatty 2. Royal Harban 8-1 M. Hanif 3. King Panther 4.
Won by 1 1/4 L, 3 L, 1 1/4 L.
Time one minute 21 4/5 seconds.
Winner trained by Akhtar Mir.
THE MELSI PLATE CLASS VII DIVISION VI 6 FURS:
Badal (Mohammad Rafiq) 8-77 Nadeem Ikram 1. Mon Soon 8-3 Qamar Zaman 2. Science Fiction 8-0 Aamar Parvez 3. Great Banquet 8-8 Shahid Mustafa 4.
Won by 2 L, 1 3/4 L, 3/4 L.
Time one minute 19 2/5 seconds.
Winner trained by Mohammad Hanif.
SIXTH RACE:
The Melsi Plate Class VII Division IV & V 6 Furs:
Unbeatable (Mohammad Sadiq) 8-2 Iqbal Khan 1. Iram State 7-12 Zulifqar Hussain 2. Wing Commander 8-1 Tehseen Hussain 3. Fight Again 8-10 M. Kashif 4.
Won by 1 1/2 L, 4 1/2 L, 3/4 L.
Time one minute 19 4/5 seconds.