LAHORE, Jan 21: If all goes well, Free My Heart, should make it two in-a-row by winning the Rahwali Plate, class VII division VI handicap race, during the mid-week Lahore Gymkhana races to be held at the Racecourse on Wednesday.
In his last outing, the five-year-old chestnut horse, Free My Heart cantered home an easy winner in a race over 1000 metres last week. Inspite of being promoted a division up, the chestnut still has a good chance to win again. Of the 18, contestants his main challengers could be Royal Harban and Final Count Down in this third race of the day.
A card of six events will be decided in the afternoon. All races will be contested over the sprinting distance of 1200 metres. The first race will be held at 12.30 pm.
Meanwhile, a special race meeting will be held in honour of the visiting dignitary, Sheikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al-Maktum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai, at the Racecourse on Friday .
Five cup events sponsored by Sheikh Hamdan, will be the highlights of the day’s racing.
The first race will start at 11.30 am., and the last at 1.30 pm., before Juma congregation. Sheikh Hamdan will be accompanied by ten-members of his entourage, Chief Minister Punjab, Parvaiz Elahi and top government officials.
The events carry highest ever purses for those occupying first four positions. The Lahore Race Club has announced stake- money ranging from Rs 300,000 to Rs 400,000 to the winner of these events, besides the cups.
In a related development the Lahore Race Club has nominated three stewards to represent LRC on the panel of the Jockey Club Of Pakistan (JCP).
According to official sources they are: Syeddah Abida Hussain, Munir Ahmad Dar and Khawaj Mohammad Arif.
Syedah Abida Hussain had been representing LRC on the JCP stewards panel for the last many years while Munir Dar is an LRC ex-steward and renowned international hockey star.
Following are the fields and our selections:
RAHWALI PLATE CLASS VII DIV VIII B 1200M:
Raad 9-0 Blue Champion 8-10 Easy Come Easy Go 8-10 Miss Picasso 8-5 Grey Tide 7-13 Silver Sweet 7-7 Majestic Prince 7-5 Tulip 7-4 and Silver March 7-4.
Win: Easy Come Easy Go. Place: Blue Champion and Silver Sweet.
RAHWALI PLATE CLASS VII DIV VIII A 1200M:
Supreme Boy 9-0 Royal Touch 9-0 Lovely Diana 9-0 Beena Roy Baby 8-13 Shaiman 8-10 Concept Again 8-9 King Gondal 8-9 Royal Arrow 8-8 and Cranbrook Boy 8-8.
Win: Lovely Diana. Place: Shaiman and Beena Roy Baby.
RAHWALI PLATE CLASS VII DIV VII 1200M:
Native Force 9-3 Burrat Again 9-0 Jehandar 8-12 Madam Lorina 8-12 Lado Rani 8-12 Sun Of Gold 8-9 Silver Baby 8-8 Malook Star 8-6 Rizwan The Great 8-4 Delta Song 8-2 Power Plus 8-2 Lucky Grace 7-12 Disney Land 7-12 Las Pal Mas 7-11 Tiger’s Wood 7-11 Seven Spades 7-11 and Sun Princess 7-6.
Win: Jehandar. Place: Tiger’s Wood and Seven Spades.
RAHWALI PLATE CLASS VII DIV VI 1200M:
Key Guy Princess 9-0 Altrui Princess 9-0 Thank You Dear 9-0 Ghabra 9-0 Hunza 9-0 My Home Land 9-0 Lucky Dawn 9-0 Royal Harban 8-11 Free My Heart 8-10 Al Jarrar 8-9 Final Count Down 8-7 Royal Victory 8-5 Fine Gold 8-5 Faheem Choice 7-9 Copper Fields 7-9 Gently 7-9 Deep River 7-5 and Mohni Road 7-5.
Win: Free My Heart. Place: Royal Harban and Final Count Down.
RAHWALI PLATE CLASS VII DIV B 1200M:
Pistol Pete 9-0 Morning Bird 8-13 Jan-i-Ghazal 8-12 Conquest 8-12 Honey Harvest 8-12 Rising Sun 8-12 Morning Noor 8-12 Waseem Love 8-12 Well Come Pechino 8-12 Nauman The Great 8-12 Royal Class 8-12 Fly Over Home 8-9 Glorious Song 8-7 Caspian Queen 8-7 Bone Crusher 8-7 Bhola Jee 7-12 and Divine Force 7-12.
Win: Morning Bird. Place: Pistol Pete and Morning Noor.
RAHWALI PLATE CLASS VII DIV V A 1200M:
Tripple M 9-0 Happy Boy 8-13 Lady Handsome 8-11 Silk Route 8-11 Decent Fellow 8-10 Hot Spell 8-10 Easy To Listen 8-10 Eastern Bird 8-10 Unbeatable 8-10 Rukhsh 8-7 Roman Charger 8-6 Here Comes Rambo 8-6 and In Command 8-5.
Win: Hot Spell. Place: Happy Boy and Rukhsh.