Churchill secures new year memorial cup at Lahore Race Club

Bay colt Churchill outclassed his rivals in a runaway success during the Makhdumzada Syed Hassan Mahmud Memorial New Year Cup at the Lahore Winter Meeting at the Racecourse on Sunday. 

Trained by Shahid Rehman and ridden by Aamir Pervez, Churchill blitzed down the home straight and had an amazing eight lengths to spare over the 5-5 favourite colt Haiku at the line. Rapunzel Beauty and Milord completed the frame.

The winner clocked one minute 11 4/5 seconds over the 1,200 metres race distance. 

Owner Zaid Raheem received the cup from the grandson of late Syed Hassan Mahmud. 

A similar fine performance was witnessed in the supporting event, the Golden Drift Cup, a handicap race for Class VI Division II and III horses over 1,300 metres.

Half-money favourite colt Follow My Lead landed the cup by defeating Conquest to stretch his winning streak to four victories on the trot.

The son of US sire Western Choice breezed past his rivals soon after the start and stayed first till the last stride to win by three fourth of a length from long-chaser Conquest, who failed to live up to his name. Colt Double Action came third and Welcome Home finished fourth.

The winner owned by Syed Atif Ashfaq Shah was trained by Mohammad Afzal and ridden by jockey Aftab Chaudhry.

LRC steward Mahmood Rafi Khan gave away the cup to the winning owner in the paddock amidst spontaneous applause from the race-goers.

A large crowd of connoisseurs of the equine sports braved the chilly weather to witness the truly wonderful racing for nearly five hours in which they enjoyed some close and thrilling competitions.

Results:

THE SUPER CONQUEST PLATE CLASS VII DIV V — 900M:

Aya Darwaish (Mohammad Aslam Pehlwan) 9-0, Mubashir Bhatti 1; Mr Brown 8-4, Javed Akhtar 2; Take Care 9-0, Mazhar Ali 3; Golden Beauty 8-11, Tahir Abbas 4.

Time: one minute 1 3/5 seconds. Winner trained by Musawwar Chaudhry. 

THE SUPER CONQUEST PLATE CLASS VII DIV V — 900M:

Narowali Princess (Ahmed Yar Dogar) 8-6, Mohammad Zulfiqar 1; Prince Of Multan 9-0, Aftab Chaudhry 2; Anmole One 9-0, Mohammad Ajmal 3; Madiha 9-0, Tahir Abbas 4.

Time: 59 3/5 seconds. Winner trained by Mohammad Afzal.

THE SUPER CONQUEST PLATE CLASS VII DIV IV — 900M:

Helena (Asim Raza) 7-12, Sunny Babu 1; Chan Punjabi 8-12, Bilal Ahmed 2; Safdar Princess 9-2, Aftab Chaudhry 3; KFK Princess 8-4, Mohammad Wasim 4.

Time: 57 seconds. Winner trained by Tanvir Aslam.

THE SUPER CONQUEST PLATE CLASS VII DIV III — 1,100M:

Rang-e-Hina (Ghulam Shabbir Khan) 8-4, Mohammad Atif 1; Qalandra 8-2, Mohammad Hanif 2; Zoaq-e-Yaqeen 3; Piyara Saeen 8-4, Mohammad Atif 4.

Time: one minute 7 3/5 seconds. Winner trained by Aleemuddin. 

THE SUPER CONQUEST PLATE CLASS VII DIV I — 1,100M:

Lorenzo (Mohammad Ahsan Irfan) 8-6, Aftab Chaudhry 1; Sher Garh Queen 7-12, Mohammad Hanif 2; Remember Me 8-4, Mazhar Ali 3; Legacy 8-12, Bilal Ahmed 4.

Time: one minute 7 2/5 seconds. Winner trained by Mohammad Afzal.

THE MAKHDUMZADA SYED HASSAN MAHMUD MEMORIAL NEW YEAR CUP  — 1,200M:

Churchill (Zaid Raheem) 9-0, Aamir Pervez 1; Haiku 8-11, Aftab Chaudhry 2; Rapunzel Beauty 8-11, Deenar Mirwani 3; Milord 8-7, Tahir Abbas 4.

Time: one minute 11 4/5 seconds. Winner trained by Shahid Rehman.

THE GOLDEN DRIFT CUP CLASS VI DIV II & III — 1,300M:

Follow My Lead (Syed Ali Ashfaq Shah) 9-0, Aftab Chaudhry 1; Conquest 8-10, Aamir Pervez 2; Double Action 7-12, Ghulam Haider 3; Welcome Home 8-8, Tahir Abbas 4.

Time: one minute 18 3/5 seconds. Winner trained by Mohammad Afzal.

THE SUPER CONQUEST PLATE CLASS VI DIV IV — 1,300M:

Pockets (Fazeel Asif Jah) 8-4, Tahir Abbas 1; JF Thunder 8-6, Ghulam Haider 2; Jharra 9-0, Deenar Mirwani 3; Sara Jamoot 8-4, Mohammad Hanif 4.

Time: one minute 19 2/5 seconds. Winner trained by Allah Bakhsh Malik.

THE SUPER CONQUEST PLATE CLASS VII DIV II — 1,100M:

Baland-o-Bala (Shahbaz Mukhtar) 8-2, Mohammad Hanif 1; Gold Man 8-4, Bilal Ahmed 2; Salam-e-Lahore 8-12, Tahir Abbas 3; Rashk-e-Qamar 8-10, Aftab Chaudhry 4.

Time: one minute 7 3/5 seconds. Winner trained by Rashid Latif.