LAHORE, Oct 5: A card of six-events, featuring the Islamabad Cup, has been charted out for the fourth Lahore Winter Meeting to be held at the Racecourse Sunday.
The Islamabad Cup, a class IV & V combined handicap race to be run over 1200 metres, has only eight acceptors, barring last- minute withdrawals.
It looks like a battle between two colts Desert Dream and King Fisher, who are the best four-year-old among the present lot. Racing connoisseurs are anxiously awaiting to see this contest between two prized colts.
Desert Dream, bay son of Theatre’s Dream out-of-Desert Breeze won prominence by his excellent performance early this year, winning nine career victories including the Queen Elizabeth Challenge Gold Cup. After this victory he was rested in summer and brought to the course on September 22 last when he won a class IV & V combined handicap race.
King Fisher, a colt from Dexter out-of-Young Dancer is being ranked as a shinning model of equine excellence. He has to his credit seven victories to date including the Pakistan Derby 2002, a distinction only one colt or filly achieves in a year.
Other notable entries in this event are: bay filly Devi Husn Ki and bay mare Perfect Timing, who should fight for the board. This will be the fifth race in racing order.
Four-year old bay colt Bureaucrat is being tipped to win the sixth and supporting event, a class VII division I & II combined handicap race to be run over 1200 metres. He may be facing a stiff challenge from the chestnut filly Early Bird and the colt Lucky Shot. All are in good form at present.
Dark bay filly Storm Bird running in the silks of leading owner Sohrab Khan will be on the trot to win the second race and make it two in-a-row.
This filly from Dexter out-of-Neptune Dancer had won a race convincingly on September 29 last. Prince Khurrum, Easy To listen and Mahnoor will be fighting for a place on the frame.
All six events on the card will be contested over 1200 metres. Two events, the Amar Sidhu Plate for class I,II & III, and the term race for two-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies has been declared void due to lack of entries.
The first race will be held at 2.30 pm.
Following are the fields and our selections:
KHANPUR PLATE CLASS VII DIV V 1200M
Track Star 9-0 Arizona 9-0 Divine Force 9-0 Al Jarrar 8-13 Wing Commander 8-13 Cape Town 8-13 Zargar 8-8 Silver Charm 8-4 Science Fiction 7-10 Jungle Beat 7-10 Bhola Jee 7-10 Fifty Six Fifty Six 7-10 Popeye Well 7-10 Burnish Prince 7-10 and Sherganzer.
Win: Cape Town. Place: Wing Commander and Al jarrar. Upset: Zargar.
KHANPUR PLATE CLASS VII DIV IV 1200M:
Mahnoor 9-0 Dancing Margina 8-6 Prince Khurrum 8-4 Thank You Dear 7-13 Storm Bird 7-13 Subzero 7-10 Russian Pet 7-10 Silver City 7-10 Easy To Listen 7-10 and Naseebo Lal 7-10.
Win: Storm Bird. Place: Prince Khurrum and Easy To Listen. Upset: Mahnoor.
KHANPUR PLATE CLASS VII DIV III 1200M:
Afnan 9-0 Shannel 8-13 Dhandhana 8-11 Puma Star 8-10 Pistol Pete 8-7 Red Storm 8-3 Incognito 8-3 Al Zarrar 8-1 Skipper 8-1 Tank You Boss 7-10 and Gold Champion 7-10.
Win: Red Storm. Place: Incognito and Skipper. Upset: Shannel.
KHANPUR PLATE CLASS VII DIV II 1200M:
Rukhtas Again 9-0 Love Moon 8-13 Prime Panther 8-12 Daring Eagle 8-12 Lake District 8-12 Golden Wings 8-10 Asif Love 8-8 Good justice 8-8 and Red Ransom 8-6.
Win: Good Justice. Place: Red Ransom and Love Moon. Upset: Lake District.
THE ISLAMABD CUP CLASS IV & V 1200 METERS:
Rukhtas Again 9-7 Blu’s Wendy 9-5 King Fisher 9-4 Desert Dream 9-2 Better Case 8-6 Devi Husn Ki 8-4 Perfect Timing 8-0 and Great Grandy 7-10.
Win: Desert Dream. Place: Devi Husn Ki or Perfect Timing. Upset: King Fisher.
KHANPUR PLATE CLASS VII DIV I & II 1200M:
Lucky Shot 9-0 Democracy 8-10 Bureaucrat 8-8 Early Bird 8-8 Polo Gambler 8-4 Haseen Love 8-0 Fan Tan Tiger 7-13 Dilnasheen II 7-10 and Imagine If 7-10.
Win: Bureaucrat. Place: Early Bird and Dilnasheen II. Upset: Lucky Shot.