LAHORE, March 2: Fancied four-year-old filly Brave Act staged a stirring charge down the home stretch to become the first-ever short-priced favourite to win the Pakistan Derby at the Racecourse on Sunday.

With three consecutive wins under her belt, the 25 to 100 favourite filly was given a perfect ride by jockey Aamir Pervez to register a record seven-length victory.

Brave Act, owned by Sohrab Khan, gave him his second, Aamir Pervez his third and her trainer Amjad Ali II his second triumph in this classic.

Following the early pace setters Headingly and Janu Manu, Aamir tactfully kept the filly at a close third position before moving into contention on the final turn to out-sprint Headingly in the closing stages for the race, clocking the fastest time of two minutes and 36 seconds.

Kiss Of Luck and mythical completed the frame.

There were eight runners in all in the contest run over the 2,400 metres distance.

With the win, Brave Act marks her claim as the country’s turf queen over any distance, having already won the Maiden’s Plate over 1,200m, the 1,000 Guineas Of Pakistan over 16,600m and the Derby Trials over 2,000m.

This was the fifth race of the day that was witnessed by a sizeable crowd including many ladies who rarely visit such events.

Sunday’s races were held under tight security. Local bands attired in multi-coloured costumes played lilting tunes to provide a happy and relaxed touch to the occasion.

Meanwhile in the second biggest race in the Derby Day card of nine-events, rank outsider bay English mare Miss Thailand, owned by Malik Hamid Ali Noon, scorched her way to stardom, producing a scintillating burst of speed to land the Lahore Classic Cup gone over the 1,600 metres distance.

Ridden by jockey Fahim K., Miss Thailand, who is trained by Haji Fazal Hadi, beat Alina Alisha by about two lengths of a margin. The odds on favourite mare Day Dream Dancer put up a hopeless performance finishing third under jockey M. Hanif. The winner clocked one minute 39 3/5 seconds.

Earlier in the sixth race, Shoaib Tariq’s bay filly Poly Cat stormed up on the last straight run to triumph by eight lengths and win the stewards cup run over the 1,400 metres distance.

Quwat, Harry Can View and Diamond In Dust completed the board. Poly Cat, who is trained by Khadim Hussain, was confidently ridden by jockey Shahid Rehman.

Three-year-old filly Dixie, partnered by Shahid Rehman romped to victory in the National Breeders Cup gone over the 1,400 metres disance. The winner beat Rag To Riches by a length. Valenday and Claim To Fame completed the frame among the seven starters.

While the riding honours went to jockey Aamir Pervez, who won the first race and the Derby 2008 to crown a double, Shahid Rehman brought home three winners by piloting Dixie, Poly Cat and Simbi in the fourth, sixth and seventh race, respectively.

Haji Fazal Hadi was the only trainer to register a Derby-Day double when he saddled Dixie and Miss Thailand. Five favourites obliged the punters. They were Blossom, Dixie, Brave Act, Poly Cat and Simbi.

The Derby 2008 was unique in the sense that the hot favourite lived up to her star billing and won the coveted classic.

Results:

TALAGANG PLATE CLASS VI

DIV I 1,200M:

Blossom (Hamza Khan) 9-0, Aamir Pervez 1; Jan-e-Bhakkar 9-0, Fahim K. 2; Love Minister 8-12, Faisal Tahir 3; Creek Cat 7-8, A. Alam 4.

Won by 6 L, 1/2 L, 3 1/4 L. Time one minute 16 seconds. Winner trained by Amjad Ali II.

LRC PLATE CLASS V DIV II 1,200M:

Janu (Munir Dar) 9-0, Anjum and Heaven’s Heart (M.V. Malik) 8-10, Faisal Tahir 1; Mr Gujrat 9-0, Hidayat Hussain 3; Tuba First 9-0, M. Zeeshan 4.

Won by Dead-heat, 2 1/4 L, 7 L. Time one minute 14 2/5 seconds. Winner trained by Manzoor Ahmed and Haji Fazal Hadi.

LRC PLATE CLASS V DIV III 1,200M:

Grue (Malik Ghulam Qadir) 8-2, M. Hanif 1; The News 8-4, Shahid Rehman 2; Dubai Fan 8-6, Khalil Vicky 3; Alishba 9-0, M. Nasir II 4.

Won by Distance, Head, Head. Time one minute 14 4/5 seconds. Winner trained by Haji Abid Mahmood.

NATIONAL BREEDERS CUP (A TERM RACE FOR THREE-YEAR-OLD COLTS AND FILLIES) 1,400M:

Dixie (Malik Hamid Ali Noon) 8-7, Rags to Riches 8-1, M. Hanif 2; Valenday 9-0, M. Zeeshan 3; Claim To Fame 8-7, M. Nasir II 4.

Won by 1 L, 2 b1/4 L, 4 L. Time one minute 27 2/5 seconds. Winner trained by Haji Fazal Hadi.

COCA COLA PAKISTAN DERBY 2008

(A TERM RACE FOR FOUR-YEAR-OLD COLTS AND FILLIES) 2,400M:

Brave Act (Sohrab Khan) 8-11, Aamir Pervez 1; Headingly 9-0, Shahid Rehman 2; Kiss Of Luck 9-0, A. Imran 3; Mythical 8-11, Salahuddin 4.

Won by 7 L, 6 L, Distance. Time two minute 36 seconds. Winner trained by Amjad Ali II.

STEWARD CUP CLASS IV DIV I, II (CLASS III INCLUDED) 1,400M:

Poly Cat (Shoaib Tariq) 8-10, Shahid Rehman 1; Quwat 9-2, M. Nasir II 2; Harry Can View 7-10, Sajjad Hussain 3; Diamond In Dust 7-8, Ghulam Shabbir 4.

Won by 8 L, 2 L, 4 1/2 L. Time one minute 28 1/5 seconds. Winner trained by Khadim Hussain.

LAHORE CLASSIC CUP CLASS I, II & III 1,600M:

Miss Thailand (Malik Hamid Ali Noon) 10-5, Fahim K. 1; Alina Alisha 8-1, Shahid Rehman 2; Day Dream Dancer 9-0, M. Hanif 3; Interiotte 8-1, Aamir Pervez 4.

Won by 1 3/4 L, Neck, 6 1/2 L. Time one minute 39 3/5 seconds. Winner trained by Haji Fazal Hadi.

STEWARDS CUP CLASS IV DIV III 1,400M:

Simbi (Junaid Rasheed Rana) 8-6, Shahid Rehman 1; Karam Pe Karam 9-2, Ali Raza 2; Spiritual Song 8-6, Faisal Tahir 3; Lovely Dunit 8-2, M. Zeeshan 4.

Won by 1 1/2 L, 1 1/2 L,1/2 L. Time one minute 29 3/5 seconds. Winner trained by A.B. Malik.

LRC CUP CLASS V DIV I 1,200M:

Hallow Handsome (Mian Hamid Mahmood) 9-0, Salahuddin 1; Julia Roberts 8-6, Shahid Rehman 2; Shakalak 8-4, M. Hanif 3; Miss Liza 8-6, Fahim K. 4.

Won by 1/2 L, 4 1/4 L, Head. Time one minute 16 seconds. Winner trained by Chaudhry Khurram Hussain.