LAHORE, Nov 12: The four-year-old colt Mr Bond is fancied to win feature of the six-event mediocre card of the Lahore Gymkhana races to be run over five furlongs at the Racecourse on Tuesday.
The races were scheduled to be held on Nov 14 (Wednesday) but have been brought forward by a day in view of the coming holy month of fasting (Ramazan). The Lahore Race Club (LRC) plans to hold another meeting on Nov 15 (Thursday) before the advent of the holy month.
Mr Bond is contesting for Malir Plate, a class VII division IV & V combined handicap race in which 16 horses are competing, if there were no last-minute withdrawals. This will be the sixth and last race of the day.
Mr Bond has won his last two races in-a-row and is a promising colt capable of completing a hat-trick. His victories on both the occasions were convincing. If nothing goes wrong, there is no reason, he should not repeat the feat.
The red roan colt Puma Star, the dark bay mare Morning Glory and the bay filly Iram State can compete well with Mr Bond. By virtue of her lowly placing in the handicap at seven stones 13 pounds, Iram State has an edge over Puma Star and Morning Glory, who will be carrying nine stones two pounds, each.
Meanwhile, the jockey M. Hanif has described as absolutely untrue the statement of Mr Rabbani Dar, the owner of the dark bay colt Best Lara that he (Hanif) had not allowed his horse to run “on merit” in a race on Oct 28 last.
In a statement issued through his lawyer Rashid Nabi Malik, M. Hanif said that the factual position was that Best Lara had been suffering from sore-shin and was also running temperature on that day. “I tried my best to push the colt through but he was not moving at all. Even I whipped the colt but did not get response from him. This fact can be verified from the video-film of that race”, the lawyer quoted Hanif as having said.
The following are the fields and our selections:
MALIR PLATE CLASS VII DIVISION VIII (B) 5 FURS:
Iyi Jani 9-1 Grey Matter 9-1 In The Game 9-0 Lovely Diana 8-13 Anokhi 8-11 Calypso Dancer 8-10 Martina Baby 8-4 Bach Fly 7-13 Majestic Prince 7-12 Domino Rock 7-11 Miss Pecasso 7-10 Sweet Grandy 7-10 Home Maid 7-10 Malang Aya 7-10 Shoot To Kill 7-10.
Win: Martina Baby. Place: Grey Matter or Bach Fly. Upset: Shoot To Kill.
MALIR PLATE CLASS VII DIVISION VII (C) & VIII 5 FURS:
Garden Court 9-0 Lucky Super Market 8-13 Magic Prince 8-11 Super Shot 8-10 Nick Knight 8-10 Blessed 8-6 Last Love 8-6 Jamran 8-4 Dunlop 8-4 Tiger’s Wood 8-4 One Touch 8-3 Silver Sweet 8-1 Free Lancer 8-1 Nijinsky 7-13 Hogan 7-10.
Win: Lucky Super Market. Place: Last Love or Dunlop. Upset: Tiger’s Wood.
MALIR PLATE CLASS VII DIVISION VII (B) 5 FURS:
Jan-e-Mir 9-0 Lucky Lass 8-13 Flying Bulbul 8-13 Darling Of The Royalty 8-11 Brown Bomber 8-6 Courtesan 8-6 Golden Time 8-5 Hamza Love 8-3 Sun Dance 8-3 In Command 8-3 Sarafaan 8-2 Sugar Dady 8-2 Mary Star 8-2 Royal Honey 7-11 Golden Wings 7-11 Deep River 7-11.
Win: Royal Honey. Place: Sarafaan or Brown Bomber. Upset: Sugar Dady.
MALIR PLATE CLASS VII DIVISION VI & VII 5 FURS:
Aao Payar Se 9-0 Cape Town 8-11 Rehmat Ka Phool 8-9 Jehandar 8-8 Rim Jim 8-7 Barbara 8-4 Qublai Khan 8-1 Science Fiction 8-1 Royal Harban 8-1 Dane Hill Dancer 8-0 Great Bakht 8-0 Den See 7-13 Silver Baby 7-13 Must Lady 7-12 Papa Jan 7-12 Mohni Road 7-10.
Win: Aao Payar Se. Place: Science Fiction or Royal Harban. Upset: Jehandar.
MALIR PLATE CLASS VII DIVISION V & VI 5 FURS:
Fight Again 9-3 Oneeza 8-12 Echo Of Silence 8-12 Senna 8-12 Jee Salman 8-7 Shahzada Saleem 8-7 Flying Legs 8-7 Subzero 8-0 Zabardast 8-0 Russian Pet 7-13 High Mark 7-11 Ding Dong 7-11 Zaman Love 7-11 Delta Song 7-10 Ghabra 7-10 Madam Lorina 7-10.
Win: Madam Lorina. Place: Subzero or High Mark. Upset: Russian Pet.
MALIR PLATE CLASS VII DIVISION IV & V 5 FURS:
Rukhsh 9-6 Puma Star 9-2 Morning Glory 9-2 Zargar 9-0 Right Side 8-13 Magambo 8-12 Smore Star 8-10 Burfi 8-10 River Wild 8-10 Mr Bond 8-7 Dane Hill Dancer 8-5 Song Of Peace 8-0 Iram State 7-13 Wing Commander 7-10 Arcade Princess 7-10 Escort 7-10.
Win: Mr Bond. Place: Morning Glory or Puma Star. Upset: Iram State.