LAHORE, Sept 28: Four-year-old colt King Fisher, who was beaten on his previous outing last time, should not disappoint his connections when the fourth Lahore Winter Meeting gets underway at the Racecourse Sunday.
Owned by Sohrab Khan this dark-bay colt from Dexter out-of- Young Dancer, King Fisher is contesting in the fifth and feature event, the Raiwind Plate, a class V handicap race to be gone over the sprinting distance of 1000 metres.
King Fisher was beaten by Desert Dream by seven-and-a-half lengths last Sunday in a 1200 metres race, his first try out since he won the Pakistan Derby 2002 in March last.
After winning the Derby King Fisher had a lean patch of five outing off the frame. Though the distance seems to be short but the company he is appearing is the same he had beaten in last outing. Admiral’s Way, Better Case and One Man Show should fight for less remunerative berths. Only seven has accepted for the event, barring last-minute withdrawals.
The other four races on the card has a dozen to fifteen runners and are packed with chance contenders, making races competitive and appealing to race-goers.
Four-year-old bay colt Bureaucrat will be going all out to win the fourth and supporting event. He may be facing a good challenge from Lucky Shot, Lake District and Dilnasheen II all along the 1000 metres race. They are the pick of the 15 strong field, if there are no last-minute withdrawals.
The second and third race should provide both thrills and shrills for the connoisseurs because the events are packed with good number of speedsters.
In the opener the dark-bay filly Storm Bird (Dexter-Neptune Dancer) seems well placed in the handicap to pick up the spoils. A card of five events will be down for the decision in the afternoon. All races will be contested over the distance of 1000 metres. The first race will be held at 3 pm.
Meanwhile the Lahore Race Club (LRC) management has directed all riders to don their colours when they are called in stewards room in connection with any inquiry regarding their mounts. Riders not wearing their colours of the same mount, they are called in would be penalised, a notification issued by the LRC said on Saturday.
Following are the fields and our selections:
CHISHTIAN PLATE CLASS VII DIV V 1000M:
Zuhair Choice 9-0 Zargar 8-9 Storm Bird 8-5 Fifty Six Fifty Six 8-4 Super Time 8-1 Bhola Jee 8-1 Narala 7-10 Las Pal Mas 7-10 Weldon Shogun 7-10 Knock Out 7-10 Science Fiction 7-10 Royal Touch 7-10 and My Fantasy 7-10.
Win: Storm Bird. Place: Fifty Six Fifty Six and Super Time. Upset: Bhola Jee.
CHISHTIAN PLATE CLASS VII DIV IV 1000M:
Fidayeen 9-0 Prince Khurrum 8-9 Thank You Dear 8-4 Track Star 8-3 Blue Stone 8-2 Dancing Margina 8-2 Special Dream 8-1 Dillagi 7-13 Arizona 7-12 Skipper 7-10 Silver City 7-10 Song Of Freedom 7-10 Rambo Prince 7-10 Russian Pet 7-10 and Divine Force 7-10.
Win: Prince Khurrum. Place: Blue Stone and Thank You Dear. Upset: Song Of Freedom.
CHISHTIAN PLATE CLASS VII DIV III 1000M:
Afnan 9-0 Lucky Credit Queen 9-0 Kargil Tiger 8-11 Puma Star 8-10 My Own Business 8-9 Green Hill 8-8 Dhandhana 8-5 Rukhsh 8-3 Asif Love 8-0 Voodoo Dancer 7-10 Thank You Boss 7-10 and Royal Class 7-10.
Win: Dhandhana. Place: Asif Love and Puma Star. Upset: My Own Business.
CHISHTIAN PLATE CLASS VII DIV I & II 1000M:
Democracy 9-5 Lucky Shot 9-4 Polo Gambler 8-13 Schumacher 8-13 Bureaucrat 8-12 Haseen Love 8-9 Fan Tan Tiger 8-8 Love Moon 8-0 Thunder Storm 7-13 Lake District 7-11 Dilnasheen II 7-10 Rukhtas Again 7-10 and Early Bird 7-10.
Win: Bureaucrat. Place: Lake District and Dilnasheen II. Upset: Lucky Shot.
RAIWIND PLATE CLASS V 1000M:
Blu’s Wendy 9-9 Better Case 8-4 King Fisher 8-3 Admiral’s Way 8-0 Great Grandy 7-10 Perfect Timing 7-10 and One Man Show 7-10.
Win: King Fisher. Place: Better Case and One Man Show. Upset: Admiral’s Way.