LAHORE: Bay colt Tufaan unleashed its ferocious speed in the home stretch to storm to victory in the Derby Trials classic during the Lahore Winter Meeting at the Racecourse here on Sunday.

The Shahid Rehman-trained Tufaan, owned by Syed Kamal Shah, was given a patient ride by jockey Shahbaz A in the race run over 2000 metres for its fourth victory on the trot. It beat the co-favourite colt. Pakistani Star by two lengths with the long-shot colt Sea Bird third another three lengths away. Colt Sohna chipped the frame to make it an all colts affair.

The main supporting event, the Col Syed Abid Hussain Memorial Cup — contested over 1400 metres — was won by a rank outsider bay horse Silent Assassin after it beat favourite filly Borte by two lengths with a late burst of speed. Bay horse Naymar finished third.

Bay filly Elektra, smartly piloted by jockey Bilal Ahmad, edged out filly G. One at the finish line while favourite colt Cousin Cary was nosed out to third place in a fiercely-fought battle in the Nosha Cup, run over 1400 metres.

In yet another supporting event, the Shalimar Cup — run over 1200 metres — bay colt Farhan King registered a run-away success in a tiny field of three runners.

Trainer Shahid Rehman and jockey Shahbaz A shared a magnificent double through Bella Veste which won the second race.

Published in Dawn, February 13th, 2023