LAHORE The field for the most cherished annual event, the Pakistan Derby 2010 to be run here on Sunday, seems to be loaded with many contenders, a rare phenomenon in the prestigious event's 63-year history.
After the final forfeit of entries, seven days prior to the Derby race about 20 colts and fillies are left in the field from the total of 68 entered two years ago. If every thing goes well at least 15 are likely to present themselves adorning their owner's colours at the starting gate on the Derby Day.
The field seems unique this year as compared to previous years' for it includes more real contenders than pretenders, which has not always been the case for the biggest classic race in the life of the four-year-old colts and fillies bred in Pakistan.
Over half-a-dozen of the contenders have had strong finishes in the prep-Derby races to add to the credibility to their owner's Derby hopes.
It is a term race for four-year-old Pakistani-bred colts and fillies to be gone over the standard Derby distance 2,400 metres.
In the past, the biggest classic race has seen some owners and trainers to run their horses for the sake of satisfaction of personal vanity without any merit but the current year's case seems to be much different because the field has many good performers on track with lot of talent and are progenies of established bloodlines to make the race a real super stars contest.
Besides fame and prestige for the owner, trainer or jockey the race provides a test of stamina, endurance and speed for the breeders.
The probable left-in the field are Victory Gift, Valour, Ustad, Kanwal, Pocket Wood, Lucky Creek, Decent Baker, Lady Narnia, Historical, Roman Glory, Ocean Song, Anjleena Jolie, Warrior Princess, Dubai Prince, Mountain Lion, Rainbow View, Raven Pass, Blanchine, Dear Creek and Victory Power.
The Pakistan Derby was instituted in 1947. Before that it was known as the Punjab Derby. The race was first run over a mile and, the distance remained the same till 1954, when two more furlongs were added to bring it to the international standard distance.
In Pakistan horse-racing was banned in 1977 and the event was not held in 1978. In 1979, the Derby distance was reduced to a mile but was raised to a mile and quarter. It was again brought to international standard distance in 1983. Since then it remains the biggest classic event of the Lahore Racing Calendar.
Derby is a cherished dream of every owner, trainer or a jockey and a victory in the Derby realizes that dream but only one can make it every year. The others are left to dream for the coming year or so on.
There are many owners, trainers and jockeys, who have been lucky to win the Derby for more than once but a majority has been longing for it and have not won even for once although they had been holding big stables in the past and at present too.
There is one instance of horse being disqualified after winning a Derby race, DoDo won but lost on objection and Derby race awarded to second placed Golden Harvest in 1956.
Only two women owners have had the distinction of winning the Derby -Begum Syedah Abida Hussain's filly Montreaux won in 1965 and Begum Khalida Yasmeen's colt Fearless Leader in 1989 and Shane Warne in 1996.
Among the owners Syed Shah Mardan II Pir Pagaro VII remain distinguished to have won the Derby four times - Early Arrival (1984) Yes My Darling (1986) Theek Hai 1988) and Millionaires (1990).
Captain Fownes stands out among the trainers to have won the Derby six times Fairbrook (1955), Golden Harvest 1956), Lunaire (1961, Leonardo (1962), Montreaux (1965) and Lorina (1968),
Trainer Ashraf comes next to Captain Fownes winning the Derby five times which included a hat-trick, a unique feat in Derby history. His winners were Early Arrival (1984), Stride By Stride (1985), Yes My Darling (1986), Theek Hai ( 1988), and Millionaires (1990). Jockey Fletcher rode all the five winners trained by Mohammad Ashraf to register the highest number of wins by a jockey to date.
At present jockeys Shahid Rehman and Salahuddin II have ridden four Derby winners are struggling for levelling the record set up by Fletcher. Shahid Rehman won the Derby on Fair Magic (1999) King Fisher (2002) Naseeb (2004) and Moment Of Love 2005) while Salahuddin II's winners were Listen To Me (1992), Democracy (2003), Thrill (2006), and Gold Krik (2007).
Among the present set of trainers, whose horses seems the likely top contenders are Trainer Amjad Ali II, Tauqir Ahmed and Haji Abid Mahmood. Amjad Ali II have already won the derby thrice - Fair Magic (1999), King Fihser (2002) and Brave Act (20080 while Tauqir Ahmed had sent out Live For Others (1992) and Super Conquest (2000). Haji Abid Mahmood is relatively a new comer treading in the footsteps of his trainer-father Haji Ghulam Sarwar and well set in his profession.
Amjad Ali II has two strong contenders in Historical and Ocean Song, Tauqir Ahmed has three, Dubai Prince and Warrior Princess and Mountain Lion, trainer Aleemuddin with no Derby credentials has two - Daring Creek and Rainbow View while Haji Abid Mahmood has filly Lady Narnia against all. Let us see on whom lady luck smiles?
After races on Sunday, the Derby runners were given a fast workout in which mostly the top contenders participated. The race-goers watched the exercise with great interest.
