Sohrab’s California bags Pakistan Derby

LAHORE: California of Sohrab Khan claimed the Pakistan Derby 2019 title here at the Lahore Race Club on Sunday.On a day socked with 36-hour continuous drizzle, California saddled to a time of two minutes and 38 seconds to be the winner of 2400 metres distance race which has a field of a dozen promising colts and fillies foaled in 2015.The rain even did not budge on Sunday but still California won with a clear margin to live up to the expectations of the pundits who had already declared it the winner. Even the second and third places claimed by Generation and Goleke Queen respectively were also predicted favourites.Ridden by Aftab, California had little trouble covering the distance and the challenge given by other horses in the race and its owner also pocketed Rs 700,000 cash award along with trophy.On the day there were four cup races scheduled with seven Indus Plate races. The winners of the cup races were Atlantic Ocean, Benevolant, War It Is and Right To Dream and all of these horses were expected to be the victors.The day started with the win of Sweet Golden in the first Indus Plate race. Hamayoun Choice was second and the third was Fire Ball.The second race winner was On the Spot Win while Mehrbani and Remek Queen were in oder second and third.The third race winner was Qalandara, Golden Apple and Safdar Princess got the two runners up spots.The fourth race went which was the last of the first leg plate races saw Neeli De Malika coming to the top while Afzaal Choice followed at the second spot and Secret Lady secretly jumped to third position.The first featured race of the day and fifth in the row was the LRC Cup in which the winner was Atlantic Ocean which had a time of 1.23 to be on the top. Khan Jan and Timbo in their respective order were second and third. The Stewards Cup was sixth in line and was taken by Benevolent with a time of 1.12. Sparking was second and Bet Fair was third.The National Breeders Cup which was seventh race of the day that finished in favour of War It Is with a time of 1.25 while Floating Cloud and Royal Ransom were the winning horses of second and third places respectivelyThen came the Pakistan Derby 2019 and the favourites of the race California, Generation and Goleke Queen were the winners of the race in sequence of first, second and third.The ninth race of the day was Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup which was claimed by Right TO Dream noted 2.06 time. Al Nahayy and Rising Down were second and third.In the tenth race, Toronto chilled everyone with Ashal Love falling at second place and Four Char Ha had third position to leave everyone calculating.Wali Choice was the winner of the eleventh race with Nadaan taking the second slot and Khan Jee was third. In the final and twelfth race of the day the winners of the first three positions were Salam-e-Niaz Baig, Natalia and Vegas.

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