LAHORE, April 13: Rank outsider bay, Great Grandy strode home in a stormy way to lift the PIA 777 Super Jet Pakistan Cup run over 2800 metres during the Lahore Winter Meeting at the Racecourse on Sunday.
The cup was instituted by the Pakistan International Airlines to celebrate the induction of 777 Super Jet in the national carrier’s fleet.
Ridden by jockey Majid Khan the ten to one chance Great Grandy beat second favourite, The Conqueror by two-and-a-half lengths in a late burst of speed.
The Conqueror led the field of five runners throughout the gruelling journey of this longest distance race of the country.
Prime Force finished third, a length further behind while odds-on favourite Democracy who looked off colour crawled to fourth position, about a distance further away. Democracy’s performance left much to be desired which sounded a note of warning for her trainer.
Federal Minister for Petroleum Humayun Akhtar Khan, who was the chief guest saw races on Sunday and gave away the cup to the winning owner Mumtaz Ahmad Doga soon after the race.
The minister was accompanied by Lahore Race Club (LRC) chairman Tariq Aziz and host of other guests invited to races.
Fancied chestnut English filly Laser Lass confirmed her class when she spurted home to an easy success in the supporting event, Ginza Cup run over 1200 metres. Owned by Khawaja M. Arif, the progeny of Ali Royal out-of-Lingdale Lass, the even-money favourite Laser Lass justified her favouritism status defeating her stablemate Aegean Daisy by five lengths. Zargar and Perfect Timing completed the board among eight runners. Second favourite Saqi ran off the frame.
The third cup event, the Nero’s Dream Cup run over 1200 metres was won by Key Guy Princess. The winner beat front-runner Prime Panther by half-a-lengths in a closely contested race. Flame finished third, another half-a-length back while Cinderella completed the frame, over eight lengths further back.
Fancied Lucky Dawn really proved lucky when the colt won the second race on an objection. The race was won by My Home Land but in the last 200 metres of the 1200M race My Home Land caused serious interference to Lucky Dawn (Shahid Rehman up).
Later Shahid Rehman lodged an objection for crossing before being two lengths clear of his mount which was upheld by the LRC stewards after examining the video-tape of the race.
My Home Land was disqualified from the race and Lucky Dawn declared winner.
Jockey Shahid Rehman and Salah-ud-Din II Shared the riding # honours of the day’s races when each brought home a brace of winners.
Shahid won the second race on objection through Lucky Dawn and then wound up the day riding Canwara in the sixth and last race.
Salah-ud-Din piloted Thunder Storm in the opener and Laser Lass in the third race. He put up a dismal show in the feature event riding fancied Democracy.
Results:
Ginza Plate Class IV Div II 1200m.
Thunder Storm (Mian Mohammad Saleem) 8-2 Salah-ud-Din (II) 1.Daring Eagle 8-12 M. Zeeshan 2. My Own Business 8-11 Javaid Iqbal 3. Lover’s Lady 8-2 Shahid Rehman 4.
Won by 1 1/2 L, 1 1/4 L, 4 1/4 L. Time one min 14 1/5 secs. Winner trained by Mohammad Bashir.
Chaklala Plate Class VII Div I 1200m
Lucky Dawn (Sheikh Yaqoob) 8-7 Shahid Rehman 1. Arizona 7-8 Javaid Iqbal 2. Meri Kajal 8-9 M. Nawaz (II) 3. My Home Land 9-0 Majid Khan (Disqualified).
Won by Objection, Neck, 9 1/2 L. Time one min 17 secs. Winner trained by Mian Javaid.
Ginza Cup Class IV Div I 1200m
Laser Lass (Khawaja M. Arif) 7-12 Salah-ud-Din (II) 1. Aegean Daisy 7-12 A. Aziz 2. Zargar 8-12 M. Zeeshan 3. Perfect Timing 9-0 Azeem Pervaiz 4.
Won by 5 L, 1 3/4 L, Head. Time one min 13 3/5 secs. Winner trained by Haji Ghulam Sarwar.
Nero’s Dream Cup Class V Div I 1200m.
Key Guy Princess (Syed Zameer Hussain Shah) 9-0 M. Zeeshan 1. Prime Panther 8-6 Majid Khan 2. Flame 8-2 Shahid Mustafa 3. Cinderella 8-1 Javaid Iqbal 4.
Won by 1/2 L, 1/2 L, 8 1/4 L. Time one min 15 2/5 secs. Winner trained by Choudhry Mohammad Siddique.
PIA 777 Super Jet Pakistan Cup. A term race for four-year-old and above in Class III and upwards. 2800m.
Great Grandy (Mumtaz Ahmad Doga) 9-8 Majid Khan 1. The Conqueror 9-0 Shahid Rehman 2. Prime Force 7-12 A. Aziz 3. Democracy 8-4 Salah-ud-Din (II) 4.
Won by 2 1/2 L, 1 L, 9 1/2 L. Time three mins 7 secs. Winner trained privately by Aamar Azad.
Nero’s Dream Plate Class V Div II 1200m
Canwara (Malik Hamid Ali Noon) 8-7 Shahid Rehman 1. Green Hill 9-0 Mujahid Ali (II) 2. Fly To The Stars 7-5 Azhar Hussain 3. Morning Bird 7-11 Shahid Mustafa 4.
Won by 7 1/4 L, I L, 2 3/4 L. Time one minute 14 4/5 secs. Winner trained by Haji Fazal Hadi.
Next Lahore Gymkhana races are scheduled to be held on Wednesday.