LAHORE: Long shot bay filly Princess Anabia swept to an emphatic win in the Major Shabbir Sharif Shaheed Nishan-i-Haider Cup, which featured the seven-cup race card in commemoration of country’s Defence Day at the Lahore Racecourse here on Sunday.

The filly bred at the Makhdoom Jamal Din Wali’s stud farm in South Punjab had registered her second successive victory this season as she came home while leading all the way to triumph by three lengths.

Chestnut colt JF Thunder finished second after pushing out favourite bay colt Exceptional One to third place failing to live up to his name.

Riding boy Mohammad Wasim Khan demonstrated his skill in the saddle by piloting home the winner among a bunch of good jockeys who were left wondering.

Owner Mohammad Shafiq Sadiq, accompanied by trainer Shakir Hussain, received the cup from Lahore Race Club (LRC) steward Mohammad Kaleem Khan.

In the main supporting event, the Major Raja Aziz Bhatti Shaheed Nishan-i-Haider Cup, the second favourite bay filly Sea Horse galloped home by a half-length from odds on favourite filly Believe Me.

Believe Me had shot into an early lead but in the home stretch the winner collared her and kept her under pressure throughout the race.

Owner Saqib ullah Khan had bred Sea Horse in his stud farm in Chamkani, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

LRC steward Mahmood Khan gave away the cup to his former steward colleague soon after the race.

Trained by Nadeem Raza Khan, Sea Horse was smartly ridden by jockey Tahir Abbas.

Captain Mohammad Sarwar Shaheed Nishan-i-Haider Cup was won by bay colt Chota Dera. His owner Asim Raza received the cup from LRC member Chaudhry Mohammad Afzal.

Results: strong text CAPTAIN MOHAMMAD SARWAR SHAHEED NISHAN-I-HAIDER CUP CLASS VII DIV V — 1,000M:

Chota Dera (Asim Raza) 7-12, Babar Rehman 1; Artghal 8-2, Bilal Ahmed 2; Timeless 8-12, Mohammad Wasim 3; Chota Jhara 9-2, Aamir Pervez 4.

Won by 5 L, 6 L, 4 L. Time: one minute6 2/5 seconds. Winner trained by Tanvir Aslam.

LANCE NAIK MOHAMMAD MAHFOOZ SHAHEED NISHAN-I-HAIDER CUP CLASS VII DIV V — 1,000M:

Golden Pound (Malik Atiq Ahmed) 8-2, Deenar Mirwani 1; Super Asia 8-10, Mohammad Zulfiqar 2; Zoaq-e-Yaqeen 8-10, Bilal Ahmed 3; Red Boy 8-10, Zain Manzoor 4.

Won by 2 L, 2 L, 2½ L. Time: one minute 6 1-5 seconds. Winner trained by Mohammad Afzal.

MAJOR TUFAIL MOHAMMAD SHAHEED NISHAN-I-HAIDER CUP CLASS VII DIV IV — 1,000M:

Buzkushi (Ata Mohammad Khan) 8-8, Deenar Mirwani 1; Wahab Choice 8-12, Babar Rehman 2; Lahori Badshah 8-6, S. Raza 3; Crown Prince 8-6, Mazhar Ali 4.

Won by 1½ L, 5 L, 1 ¼ L, Time: one minute 6 1/5 seconds. Winner trained by Haji Abid Mahmood.

MAJOR RAJA AZIZ BHATTI SHAHEED NISHAN-I-HAIDER CUP CLASS VII DIV I — 1,000M:

Sea Horse (Saqibullah Khan) 8-10, Tahir Abbas 1; Believe Me 8-12, Mazhar Ali 2; Amazing Runner 8-6, Munir Hussain 3; Tawakkal 8-12, Mohammad Hanif 4.

Won by ½ L, 6 L, 1½ L. Time: one minute 2 4/5 seconds. Winner trained by Nadeem Raza Khan.

MAJOR SHABBIR SHARIF SHAHEED NISHAN-I-HAIDER CUP CLASS VI DIV III AND IV — 1,200M:

Princess Anabia (Mohammad Shafiq Sadiq) 9-0, Mohammad Wasim Khan 1; JF Thunder 8-12, Munir Hussain 2; Exception One 8-4, Mazhar Ali 3; Marmaris 8-4, Deenar Mirwani 4.

Won by 3 L, ½ L, ½ L. Time: one minute 17 seconds. Winner trained by Shakir Hussain.

PILOT OFFICER RASHID MINHAS SHAHEED NISHAN-I-HAIDER CUP CLASS VII DIV II — 1,000M:

Jan-e-Fida (Mazhar Qayyum) 8-6, Deenar Mirwani 1; Khadim 8-4, Mohammad Hanif 2; Silken Black 8-4, Munir Hussain 3; Miss World 7-10, Babar Rehman 4.

Won by 1½ L. ½ L, 2¼ L. Time: one minute 4 2/5 seconds. Winner trained by Tauqir Ahmed.

MAJOR MOHAMMAD AKRAM SHAHEED NISHAN-I-HAIDER CUP CLASS VII DIV III — 1,2000M:

Anibal (Abdul Sattar) 9-0, Tahir Abbas 1; Gold Man 8-10, S. Raza 2; Beneficial 8-8, Shahbaz 3; Qalandara 8-12, Deenar Mirwani 4.

Won by 3½ L, 8 L, 1½ L. Time: one minute 2 3/5 seconds. Winner trained by Amjad Ali II.

Published in Dawn, September 7th, 2020