LAHORE: The New Year Cup and the Ghaznavi Cup prominently mark the seven-race card drawn for the 18th Lahore Winter Meeting which gets under way here at the Racecourse on Sunday.

The New Year Cup, a term race for three-year-old thoroughbred and half-bred colts and fillies to be contested over 1200 metres, has a sizeable field of eleven acceptors. However, on the current form shown by the runners a quartet -- a colt, Mr Perfect and three fillies, namely, G. One, Nostalgia and Borte — attract attention as the most eligible contestants.

A minute analysis of their performance puts Mr Perfect and Nostalgia as the top contenders looking to claim the honours while a couple of other highly-pedigreed animals bred at Makhdum Syed Ahmad Mahmud’s farm featuring in the race can also make their presence felt.

This will be the fourth race in the racing order.

The Ghaznavi Cup, a handicap race for horses in Class VI Lahore Gymkhana Classification, has nine runners. Three of them, colts Raksh and Professor and filly Hassan’s Heights look to be the real contenders while the others are set to make the field in preparation for the forthcoming meetings. This is the fifth race in racing order.

Bay colt Royal Nawab looks a better choice in the sixth race, the Super Conquest Plate Class VII Division I over 1300 metres, and similarly Amazing Runner looks the pick in the following and the last race the Super Conquest Plate Class VII Division II over 1300 metres.

Meanwhile Saeed Butt, one of the leading owners, who has a major stable of thoroughbreds has recovered from his long illness. “Doctors have advised me not to attend the races and take rest,” Saeed told Dawn on Saturday.

The first race will be held at 12:00noon.

Following is the field and our selections:

Super Conquest Plate Class VII Div V & VI 900M.

Safdar Princess 9-0 Sweet Golden 9-0 Chhota Pathan 8-12 Chan Punjabi 8-8 Faizi Choice 8-8 Smore Star 8-6 Fazeel Prince 8-6 Salam-e-Muhabbat 8-4 Watto Choice 8-3 and Saad Choice 8-0.

Win: Sweet Golden. Place: Chhota Pathan and Watto Choice.

Super Conquest Plate Class VII Div IV & V 900M.

Merchant Of Venus 9-0 Khan Jee 9-0 Sher Shah Bhakkar 9-0 Golden Arrow 8-12 Meri Malangni 8-8 Welcome Ladla 8-8 Danial Prince 8-8 Generosiity 8-4 Tatla Princess 8-4 Soldier Queen 8-4 Buzkushi 8-2 Magical City 8-2 Galactic Choice 8-0 Red Boy 8-0 Bright Bomber 7-12 Minding 7-10 and Ask Me 7-8.

Win: Golden Arrow. Place: Tatla Princess and Magical City.

Super Conquest Plate Class VII Div II and III 900M.

Sixty Love 9-0 Hamlet 8-10 Last One 8-10 Divine Moment 8-6 Fortuner 8-6 Lalay De Jan 8-6 Zaman Sahib 8-4 Wind Talker 8-4 Chhota Dera 8-2 Candle 8-0 and Master Prince 7-8.

Win: Last One. Placve: Hamlet and Sixty Love.

New Year Cup, a term race for three-year-old colts and fillies 1200M.

Mr Perfect 9-0 G. One 8-11 Heart 8-11 Nostalgia 8-11 Al Firouz 8-7 Roaring Lion 8-7 Wind Slayer 8-7 Ammar Love 8-4 Borte 8-4 Galactica 8-4 and Queen 8-4.

Win: Nostalgia. Place: Mr Perfect and G. One.

Ghaznavi Cup, a handicap race for Class VI (Class VII included) 1300M.

Raksah 9-4 Hassan’s Heights 8-6 Professor 8-2 Mera Gondal 8-2 Samore City 7-12 Tarnava 7-12 Foxtrot 7-12 Karayel 7-12 and Maha Princess 7-10.

Win: Professor. Place: Mr Perfect and Hassan’s Heights.

Super Conquest Plate Class VII Div I 1300M.

Royal Nawab 9-0 Hash Tag 8-10 Zarnaj 8-10 Barbarians Charge 8-4 Hussan-e-Kainat 8-2 Timbo 8-2 and Naymar 8-0.

Win: Royal nawab. Place: Timbo and Hash Tag.

Super Conquest Plate Class VII Div II 1300M.

Aamzing Runner 9-0 Well Done Pakistan 8-10 Gondal Prince 8-6 Sitara Princess 8-6 Jee Aya Nu 8-5 Bala Khatoonm 8-2 Hassan,s Champion 8-0 and Jalpana Prince 7-13.

Win: Amazing Runner. Well Done Pakistan and Hassan’s champion.

Published in Dawn, January 2nd, 2022