LAHORE, Nov 14: Fancied three-year-old colt Woodpecker lived up to his star breeding with an easy success in the Karachi Cup run over 1,300 metres during the Lahore Winter Meeting at the Racecourse here on Sunday.

The 20-100 favourite came with a late burst of speed to collar front-runners in the straight for the final run home.

Woodpecker saved ground around the last turn which proved decisive. With 200 metres still to run he was third but closing the gap fast. Jockey Shakeel Mahmood strode him up in the last 100 metres to win by over two lengths.

Munich II, Fire Accord and Lucky Creek completed the frame among seven runners.

Woodpecker, trained by Rashid Latif, ran the race in one minute 19 3/5 seconds. His owner Shahid Mahmood Goga received the cup from Lahore Race Club (LRC) member Mohsin Baig soon after the race.

A race earlier, three-year-old bay colt Master Dunit put up a smashing performance to win the supporting and fourth race run over 1,300 metres.

The 5-1 chance bay colt Master Dunit beat dark-bay filly Starry Night by five lengths to become the most impressive winner of the six-event card.

Shakeel Mahmood rode the winner trained by Shakir Hussain.

Yet another good performer was bay colt Moment of Truth owned by Haji Mohammad Mushtaq and trained by his son A.B.

Malik. He beat filly Mirana Shaheen by three lengths with Good Wood and Casino Royal making up the frame.

Riders Bilal Ahmed and Shakeel Mahmood and trainers Rashid Latif and Shakir Hussain shared the day’s racing honours bringing in a double each.

Meanwhile, the LRC has announced to hold the midweek gymkhana races a day earlier than the scheduled on Wednesday. The change has been necessitated in view of the Eid-ul-Azha falling on the same day.

Results:

THE CHAKWAL PLATE CLASS VII DIV III & IV 900M:

Momal (Rafaqat Ali) 8-6, Bilal Ahmed 1; Sahib Gee 8-0, Aftab Chaudhry 2; Sajan 8-0, M. Jameel 3; Bhola Badshah 9-0, S.A. Qaiser 4.

Won by 1 ¾ L, 2 ¾ L, 4 L. Time 57 1/5 seconds.

Winner trained by M. Abbas.

THE CHAKWAL PLATE CLASS VI DIV II 1,200M:

Victory Boy (Khawaja M. Atif) 8-6, M. Jameel 1; Norfolk 8-10, A. Raza 2; Mutajir 9-0, M. Zulfiqar 3; Princess of Mirana 8-10, S.A. Qaiser 4.

Won by 3 ½ L, 7 L, 3 ¾ L. Time one minute 15 seconds.

Winner trained by Rashid Latif. THE CHAKWAL PLATE CLASS VI DIV I 1,200M:

Monkey Puzzle (Khalid W. Shah) 8-8, Bilal Ahmed 1; Enigma 8-10, M. Wasim Khan 2; Pawan Prince 9-0, M. Zeeshan 3; Real Hero 9-0, M. Wasim 4.Won by ¾ L, 5 ¼ L, 1 L. Time one minute 15 3/5 seconds.

Winner trained by Babar Iqbal.

THE KASSOWAL PLATE CLASS V DIV I 1,300M: Master Dunit (Khurram Shahzad) 8-4, Shakeel Mahmood 1; Starry Night 8-5, Javed Iqbal 2; Sakhi 8-0, S. Moin 3; Flying Fairy 9-0, M. Jameel 4.

Won by 5 L, ½ L, short-head. Time one minute 19 1/5 seconds.

Winner trained by Shakir Hussain.

THE KARACHI CUP CLASS IV DIV I, II & III 1,300M:

Woodpecker (Shahid Mahmood Goga) 8-6, Shakeel Mahmood 1; Munich II 8-6, A. Raza 2; Fire Accord 8-2, M. Jameel 3; Lucky Creek 7-12, M. Zulfiqar 4.

Won by 2 ¼ L, 5 ¼ L, Neck. Time one minute 19 3/5 seconds.

Winner trained by Shakir Hussain.

THE KASSOWAL PLATE CLASS V DIV II 1,300M:

Moment of Truth (Haji Mohammad Mushtaq) 8-6, Shahid Rehman 1; Mirana Shaheen 9-0, S.A. Qaiser 2; Good Wood 8-4, M. Zeeshan 3; Casino Royal 8-12, A. Imran 4.

Won by 3 L, 1 ½ L, 1 L. Time one minute 20 2/5 seconds.

Winner trained by A.B. Malik.