LAHORE: Favourite bay filly Sanctity attained stardom after winning the Quetta Cup handicap race during the Lahore Winter meeting before a moderate crowd here at the Racecourse on Sunday.

Taking a slow start in the early part of the 1,200-metre race, Sanctity quickened her pace while entering in to the straight and shot like a shooting star landing at the finish line six lengths ahead of bay colt Amazing Runner in one minute 12 4/5 seconds.

Trained by Shahid Rehman, the filly was guided to victory by jockey Deenar Mirwani. The winning owner Fawad Ahmad Cheema received the cup from Lahore Race Club (LRC) steward Mohammad Kaleem Khan.

A race later, 3-1 chance bay colt Royal Nawab won the Trace Hit Cup in a manner worth her name. Leading right from the start the Mohammad Mumtaz-trained colt ridden by Shafqat Senior beat the 80-100 favourite colt Mr Gondal by four lengths. Rank outsider colt Fantastico finished third, another five lengths back with favourite filly Hash Tag fourth, another three lengths back. Eleven colts and fillies in the race for the maidens.

The winning owner Sharjeel Ashraf received the cup from LRC steward Mahmood Khan.

The meeting held prior to the next Sunday’s Pakistan Derby, however, did not attract large crowd and the number of entries in races too was moderate number but still the competition in majority races ended in close contests.

Earlier before the start of the first race LRC chairman Makhdum Syed Ahmad Mahmud presided over the stewards meeting which reviewed arrangements for holding the Pakistan Derby Day Festival of Racing next Sunday.

Results:
THE THEEK HAI PLATE CLASS VII DIV V (MAIDENS) — 1,000M:
Tatla Princess (Chaudhry Azmatullah) 9-0, Aftab Chaudhry 1; Zaman Sahib 8-10, Javed Iqbal 2; Trick OrTreat 8-6, Ghulam Haider 3; Chota Pathan 8-10, Gul Aziz 4.

Won by 5 L, 4 L, Neck. Time: one minute 2 1/5 seconds. Winner trained by Mohammad Afzal.

THE THEEK HAI PLATE CLASS VII DIV V — 1,000M:
Tatla Pride (Chaudhry Azmatullah) 9-2, Ali Raza 1; Merchant Of Venus 8-8, Munir Hussain 2; Victory Free 8-10, Mohammad Hanif 3;Ubbi 8-10, Riaz Hussain 4.

Won by 2 L, 2½ L, 3 L. Time: one minute 2¾ seconds. Winner trained by Mohammad Afzal.

THE THEEK HAI PLATE CLASS VII DIV II & III — 1,200M:
Khadim (Khawaja Mohammad Atif) 8-12, Aftab Chaudhry 1; Prince Of Arab 8-4, Munir Hussain 2; Zandora 9-0, Aamir Pervez 3; Jalpana Prince 8-12, Ghulam Haider 4.

Won by 3 L, Neck, Head. Time: one minute 14 seconds. Winner trained by Rashid Latif.

THE QUETTA CUP CLASS VII DIV I — 1,200M:
Sanctity (Fawad Ahmad Cheema) 9-0, Deenar Mirwani 1; Amazing Runner 8-2, Mohammad Hanif 2; Banaras Prince 8-0, Shakeel Mahmood 3; Miss World 7-10, Ghulam Haider 4.

Won by 6 L, 2½ L, 1½ L. Time: one minute 12 4/5 seconds. Winner trained by Shahid Rehman.

THE TRACE HIT CUP CLASS VII DIV II (MAIDENS) — 1,200M:
Royal Nawab (Sharjeel Ashraf) 8-10, Shafqat Senior 1; Mr Gondal 8-1, Shakeel Mahmood 2; Fantastico 8-6, Ghaus Bakhsh 3; Hash Tag 8-10, Bilal Ahmed 4.

Won by 4 L, 5 L, 3 L. Time: one minuet 12 1/5 seconds. Winner trained by Mohammad Mumtaz.

THE THEEK HAI PLATE CLASS VII DIV IV —1,100M:
Ask Me (Asim Raza) 8-6, Babar Rehman 1; Faizi Choice 8-8, Munir Hussain 2; Master Prince 8-3, Shafqat Senior 3;Jonti Road 7-12, Mohammad Sajjad 4.

Won by 3 L, 2½ L, 6 L. Time: one minute 8 3/5 seconds. Winner trained by Tanvir Aslam.

Published in Dawn, March 1st, 2021