LAHORE, Jan 5: A close contest between a quartet of thoroughbreds belonging to two stables is set for the New Year Cup to be gone over the sprinting distance of 1,200 metres when the19th Lahore Winter Meeting gets underway at the Racecourse on Sunday.

Haji Fazal Hadi trained colt Armaan and the filly Dixie, owned by Malik Hamid Ali Noon, are to clash with Syed Tasweer Hussain Shah’s colts Cut Throat and Vendetta, trained by Sohail Aziz, in the feature event, the first mile stone in the life of three-year-olds.

All the three colts have won a race each as two-year-olds while Dixie is yet to taste victory though she was placed second twice and third once.

All are classy thoroughbreds and being fancied by the race-goers with fancy percentage at variance.

Taking in view the running style of the colts, Armaan’s was unique when he stretches out to pounce upon his rivals and hence our fancy to win. The other three should fight for the frame in this fourth race of the day.

The supporting event, the Rana Velvet Cup, a class I, II and III combined handicap race to be contested over 1,400 metres, has nine runners. Of them seven are imported thoroughbreds while two are Pakistani bred. This seems to be an open affair.

English mare Day Dream Dancer, who is making his debut is said to be tracking very well, and if that is a yardstick to pick up the winner, she should win. Among the rest, some have already made sterling contributions on the course and some are on way to follow their suit. Snow Clad, Sun Stroke are low placed in handicap while Miss Thailand is in good form at present to prove thorns in Day Dream Dancer’s quest for landing the cup.

The bay filly Chanela, who has been beaten twice, should make amends this time and so should her jockey Shahid Rehman in the seventh and last race of the day.

This is a class four, division three, handicap race, the D.I. Khan Plate to be decided over 1200 metres. Chanela’s stablemate Miss Play, Simbi and Volcano should fight for the frame.

De Ja Vau, Byron and Lucky Cat look good in the third race, the Ghaznavi Plate class V division I, over 1,000 metres. The distance of the race suits Lucky Cat, who is a faster filly.

De Ja Vau won a good race a weak ago but she ran green, should do well this time to be the main challenger of Lucky Cat.

Interestingly, Malik Hamid Ali Noon has fielded over half-a-dozen of his colts and fillies in four races hoping the new year might bring for him the same luck, he had four years ago amassing rupees over three million in prize-money.

In 2004, his colt Naseeb won six races in a row including the Pakistan Derby and the Eclipse Stakes of Pakistan. Naseeb also won a race defeating the imported horses but was unlucky to be disqualified on technical objection raised by the horse placed second over half the prize money, Malik had amassed through Naseeb’s victories alone. Naturally, he was very upset when Naseeb was disqualified.

In all, 86 runners have accepted to contest in seven events, three to be gone over 1,000 metres, as many over 1,200 metres and one over 1,400 metres.

The first race will be held at 1200noon.

The following is the field and our selections:

GHAZNAVI PLATE CLASS V

DIV I & II 1,000M:

Rough Tough 9-0 Stride To Moment 9-0 Zoaq 9-0 Empire Maker 9-0 Miss Lazzi 9-0 High Jet 9-0 Dillagi 9-0 Mirana Choice 8-12 Dazzy Against All 8-12 Jageerdarni 8-12

Emperor 8-12 Tripple Star 8-12 Last Option 8-8 and Magic Queen 8-8.

Win Mirana Choice.

Place: Tripple Star and Miss Lazzi.

GHAZNAVI PLATE CLASS V

DIV II 1,000M:

Legend Sattar 9-0 Hitler 9-0 Mikado 9-0 Nommy The Hunter 8-12 Willhewish 8-12 Diamond Sky 8-10 Tallal The Great 8-10 Sohna Shahbaz 8-10 Cheeta Aya 8-10 Batista 8-6 Jomteen 8-6 Chimere 8-6 Look My Luck 8-6 Rana Gift 8-6 Amazing Boy 8-6 and Shah Pari 8-0.

Win: Nommy The hunter.

Place: Shah Pari and Willhewish.

GHAZNAVI PLATE CLASS V

DIV I 1,000M:

Born To Win 9-0 Azam Love 9-0 Byron 9-0 Baker Shine 9-0 Karam Pey Karam 8-11 De Ja Vau 8-8 Valenday 8-8 Gold Medalist 8-7 Can Can girl 8-8 Grue 8-6 Apex 8-6 Shim Jim 8-6 Majestic Desert 8-3 Red Hot Fire 8-2 Lucky Cat 8-0 and Run And Win 7-12.

Win: Lucky Cat.

Place: Byron and De Ja Vau.

RANA VELVET NEW YEAR CUP (A TERM RACE FOR THREE-YEAR-OLD PAKISTANI COLTS AND

FILLIES) 1,200M:

Armaan 9-0 Cut Throat 9-0 Vendetta 9-0

Aunab 8-7 Trobis Own 8-7 Zubair Prince 8-7 Shakalaka 8-4 My Delilal 8-4 Dream Act 8-4 Dixie 8-4 and Super Sonic 8-4.

Win: Armaan.

Place: Dixie and Cut Throat.

RANA VELVET CUPCLASS I, II

& III 1,400M:

Grecianette 12-0 Brummell 12-0 Miss Thailand 10-9 Konica 9-4 Snow Clad 8-5 Sun Stroke 8-5 Day Dream Dancer 8-5 Gold Krik 7-8 and Lucky Winner 7-8.

Win: Day Dream Dancer.

Place: Sun Stroke Miss Thailand.

D.I. KHAN PLATE CLASS IV

DIV I & II 1,200M:

Poly Cat 9-2 Lucifer 8-4 Motivator 8-4 Royal Faith 8-4 Discovery 8-4 Mythical 7-10 and Zargar 7-10.

Win: Lucifer.

Place: Mythical and Poly Cat.

D.I. KHAN PLATE CLASS IV

DIV III 1,200M:

Simbi 9-0 Miss Play 8-12 Sharp Burg 8-10 Don’t Follow 8-10 Chanela 8-8 Harry Can View 8-6 Perfect Promise 8-6 Volcano 8-6 Great Memories 8-6 and Royal Tradition 8-6.

Win: Chanela or Miss Play.

Place: Simbi and Volcano.