Tricky card dished out for Lahore races this afternoon.

Byline: Aftab Gilani

LAHORE -- A ticklish card of seven events, featuring three races for thoroughbred awaits race-goers during the 21st Lahore Winter Meeting at the Racecourse here on Sunday.

The feature event, the Murree Plate Class VI Division III and IV to be gone over 1,200 metres has a large field of 15 runners with most of them thoroughbreds jostling for supremacy. They represent some of the top bloodlines.

The field is very tightly handicapped with nearly eight runners likely to finish closely. However, on previous outings and time form a quartet looks to be the real contenders - mare Sparkling in spite of being handicapped on top with nine stones four pounds with Pockets, Jharra and Lorenzo. They should fight it for the top honours.

But for their outside draws Tiger Jet and Sahil are also capable of causing upset. It all depends upon the owners and trainers accepting the challenge.

The supporting event, the Kaghan Plate Class VII Division I to be contested over 1,100 metres has a tiny field of seven runners. Demoted mare Dazzling is facing the in-form Legacy and Secret Lady drawn in a tough battle with the better rider having the edge.

The second supporting event, the Kaghan Plate Class VII Division I and II to be contested over 1,100 metres has a dozen runners. On the recent form It looks a close contest between seven-year-old Jabbar Prince and filly, Cameo, who will be going all out to make it two wins in-a-row.

Filly Dream Secret has come down in the handicap but no recent form, capable to cause surprise. Similar is the case of mare Minding placed low in the handicap figures.

In all 90 horses are taking part in seven-race card. Six races will be held over the distance of 1,100 metres and one over 1,200 metres.

The first race will start at 12.00noon.

It has been noticed recently that the participation of horses in races has been on the rise gradually. It seems due to two factors. Firstly, because of the prize-money rise to a respectable level having a salutary effect inciting the owners enlarged participation. Secondly, the new set of Lahore Race Club (LRC) stewards' keen interest and attendance on race meetings and hold races in a fair and clean with utmost transparency to the satisfaction of all stake-holders.

LRC steward Mahmood Rafi Khan while talking to stake-holders prior to last Sunday meeting gave a firm assurance that LRC chairman Makhdum Syed Ahmad Mahmud wanted to uplift the club, the sports and horse-breeding to...