Pockets silences critics to bag January Cup

LAHORE: Favourite Pockets proved his critics wrong and won the January Cup in style here at the Lahore Race Club on Sunday.

Despite being the predicted one for a win, several of the pundits believed that Amazing Lips would overthrow it. But Pockets stretched its strength to the fullest to win the cup race.

The opening race started with a surprise given by Shawaiz Princess that won the first position. Shaniya Princess, however, overpowered its rivals to be second from its expected third place while Jee Aya Nu has a dream run and claimed the third position.

In the second race, Royal Ascot live up to the expectations and won the race while the remaining two position second and third taken by Merchant Of Venus and Take Care respectively surprised everyone.

The third race also went by the book that saw favourite Badeera winning by distance. As of the places, Race The Moon was second and Big Foot was third and both were far away from the predicted ones.

The fourth race of the day produced first upset of the day not only on first position but on all the three places. Surkhab was in the race on fluke and it turned out to be the winner while no one was expected Khadim and Salam-e-Lahore would win the second and third positions.

Pockets as expected won the January Cup but not without a challenge posed by Amazing Lips, that came second. As of the third position it went to unbelievably Nayel.

In the sixth race, Manthaar that too was on a fluke took the winner’s seat while the favourite Miss World was pushed to second position and Amazing Runner’s gallop to the third place was astonishing for all.

In a division II and of the same class VII, seventh race, Warrior’s Charge was favourite and was also the winner. Even the second and third positions winners Dazzling and Banaras Prince went by the book as predicted.

In the final and eight run of the day Red Boy also as expected won the race winner while Sweet Golden also became second as declared in the pre-race assessment.