LAHORE, June 3: The midweek day/night Lahore Gymkhana races have attracted an unprecedented number of entries for a six-event card to go through at the Racecourse on Wednesday evening.

Eighty-eight horses in all will be taking part in the events, four of which to be contested over the sprinting distance of 900 metres and two over 1,000 metres. A vast majority of the horses belong to unknown pedigrees.

There is no doubt about the fact that the induction of unknown pedigrees in equine sports in Lahore was a brilliant idea, which is fast picking up.

Whether the innovation is good or bad, only time will tell, but on track at present unknown pedigree horses have been capturing the attention and imagination of average owners, brutalised by the unprecedented price-hike, within a short span of time.

With the price of thoroughbreds skyrocketing and their maintenance and training costs rising beyond the majority of horse owners reach, they are left with no other choice.

Those owners who only two years ago were arguing against the induction of such horses in racing, now have unknown pedigree animals in their stables. That alone has a lot to say of the success of the innovation.

Never in the 84-year-old history of the Lahore Race Club, had the owners taken so much interest particularly in the Gymkhana races.

The feature event, the Bhakkar Plate, class VI, division II to be gone over 1,000 metres has nine acceptors. Of them two, Tallal The Great and Love Minister are on form and Mikado a pedigree horse attracts attention. They should be fighting for the top honours in this sixth and last race of the day.

Among the dozen acceptors for the fifth and supporting event, High Quality, Mah-e-Noor and Loashay look good on form and handicap. On classification, the bay gelding High Quality, is a quality animal but his present running disproves of the fact. There seems to be something wrong with the gelding. The race will be contested over the sprinting distance of 1,000 metres.

The fourth event, a class VII, division I over 900 metres handicap race has 16 runners barring last-minute withdrawals. Nearly half a dozen of them are good speedsters, namely, Mere Lal, Bagh-o-Bahar, Basant Mayla, Cash Price, Smiling Assassin and Pretty. Since the field is bigger, any of them can win. However, if things go their way, the main competitors are Mere Lal, Cash Price and Pretty.

Khan Baba, who was beaten to third place on his last outing, should make amends by winning this time. He is contesting in the third race, the Bhera Plate, class VII, division II to go over 900 metres. Leader’s Wing and Silent Assassin will be his main challengers.

Kiss Of Love, Bioactive, Pure Power and Muskan are the form animals to fight a close battle to pick up the spoils in the second race run over the 900 metres distance.

The handicap goes in favour of Bioactive to prevail over the others. His owner Mohammad Saeed Butt, who has been experiencing much good luck of late, just might as well go for the kill.

Even though Dark bay horse Sohna Murad had been very unlucky to be beaten twice in his two consecutive outings, his owner seems to be a very cool and contented person as he had put apprentice M. Jamil on him on both occasions. The jockey miserably failed to handle him. Pattola, Waqas Prince and Billoo Love may fight for the places in the biggest field, consisting of 18 runners, if there are no last-minute withdrawals.

One shudders at the very names of Silent Assassin and Smiling Assassin but they have been named so by their owner, the former national hockey captain Munir Dar. In contrast, there are owners, who have named their fillies after the Bollywood heroine Kareena – Miss Karina and Pretty Karina – and another Anarkali, Moghul emperor Akbar’s concubine. The first race will be held at 5:00pm.

Following is the field and our selections:

BHERA PLATE CLASS VII

DIV III-B 900M:

Rajwali 9-0, Sohna Murad 8-11, Pattola 8-10, Anarkali 8-8, Lucky Boy 8-8, Sohail 8-8, Waqas Prince 8-6, Sana Choice 8-4, Naseer Love 8-4, Kashif Da Gulshan 8-4, Aman 8-0, Gypsi 8-0, Taqdeer-e-Bhakkar 8-0, Nazi Gulshan 8-0, Golden Queen 8-0, Kundan 8-0, Billoo Love 8-0, Alpha Juliet 8-0.

Win: Sohna Murad.

Place: Pattola and Billoo Love.

BHERA PLATE CLASS VII

DIV III-A 900M:

Scented Dust 9-0, Kiss Of Love 9-0, Independence Day 9-0, One Pari 9-0, Roshan Chiragh 9-0, Golden Tree 9-0, Bioactive 8-12, Polo Lounge 8-10, Pre Power 8-10, Morni 8-10, Malangni Aie 8-10, Gojra Choice 8-10, Hurry Up 8-10, Faizan Prince 8-10, Muskan 8-10, Sana 8-9.

Win: Bioactive.

Place: Muskan and Kiss Of Love.

BHERA PLATE CLASS VII DIV II 900M:

Khan Baba 9-0, Nahin Rukey Ga 9-0, Client 9-0, Banjaran 9-0, Raju 9-0, Sudden Attack 9-0, Pakistani 8-10, Leader’s Wing 8-10, King’s UK 8-10, Bubbly 8-10, Barry Gal 8-10, Boom Boom 8-10, Golden Falcon 8-10, My Hope 8-10, Senorita 8-10, Naseeban Wali 8-6, Silent Assassin 8-6.

Win: Khan Baba.

Place: Silent Assassin and Leader’s Wing.

BHERA PLATE CLASS VII DIV I 900M:

Kastoori 9-0, Sikander Love 9-0, Lucky Dancer 9-0, Triple Two 9-0, Royal Personality 8-10, Pretty Karina 8-10, Sherni 8-10, Roshni 8-10, Mere Lal 8-6, Miss Mano 8-4, Bagh-o-Bahar 8-2, Basant Mayla 8-0, Smiling Assassin 8-0, Cash Price 8-0, Porsche 7-10, Pretty 7-8.

Win: Mere Lal.

Place: Smiling Assassin and Pretty.

BHAKKAR PLATE CLASS VI

DIV III & IV 1,000M:

Little Love 9-2, High Quality 9-0, Noor Pari 8-12, Mantar Prince 8-10, Red Baron 8-8, Bird Fly 8-8, Jageerdarni 8-8, Romaneila 8-0, Best Owner 8-0, Mah-e-Noor 7-10, Loashay 7-6, Grey Dancer 7-6.Win: High Quality.

Place: Mah-e-Noor and Loashay.

BHAKKAR PLATE CLASS VI

DIV II 1,000M:

Tallal The Great 9-0, Love Minister 9-0, Fit Fat 9-0, Batista 8-10, Jang Ju 8-6, Mikado 8-6, Sona 8-4, Star Dust 8-2, Great Khan 8-0.

Win: Tallal The Great.

Place: Love Minister and Mikado.