10th Day — Lahore Summer Meeting 2026 assessment

 

Sunday, 30th August 2026 | 4 Races | First Race 7:00 PM

All four races over 1000m — full distance card

 Asher Butt

Race 1 · 7:00 PM — Class VII Division VII (Maiden) — 1000m

Field of 7

#	Horse	Weight
1	Al Murtajiz 7	9-0
2	Noor-e-Qamar 6	8-7
3	Grace 8	8-3
4	Hamdan Prince 3	8-0
5	Chota Zaman 4	7-12
6	Quiz 5	7-10
7	Flokey 2	7-10

Book Fav: Quiz | Book Place: Flokey | Book Fluke: Hamdan Prince

My Fav: Al Murtajiz | My Place: Noor-e-Qamar | My Fluke: Hamdan Prince

My reasoning: The book and I diverge sharply and the argument on my side is structurally compelling. Al Murtajiz (9-0) carries the outright top weight in this seven-horse maiden — a full 7 pounds ahead of Noor-e-Qamar, 13 pounds ahead of Chota Zaman, and an enormous 14 pounds clear of the book's favourite Quiz (7-10). The book making Quiz the favourite at the very bottom of the weight range while ignoring 9-0 Al Murtajiz is a form-over-weight call in maiden company — historically the weakest basis for favouritism. The August Cup day demonstrated clearly that top weight wins maiden races on 1000m: Messi won Race 1 from 9-0 on the August Cup card vindicating this exact logic. Al Murtajiz is a new name at the top of the weights — the handicapper's allocation of the full 9-0 ceiling is a strong statement of confidence. My favourite is Al Murtajiz. Noor-e-Qamar (8-7) at second highest weight is the natural place — well-placed in the weight hierarchy at 5 pounds below the top. Hamdan Prince (8-0) is my fluke — the book's fluke as well — with a credible mid-weight position. Quiz (7-10) as the book's favourite despite sitting 14 pounds below the top weight over 1000m in maiden company is the weakest book call of the card.

 

Race 2 · 7:35 PM — Class VII Division VI & VII — 1000m

Field of 7

#	Horse	Weight
1	Star Crown 3	9-0
2	Biscuit 5	8-12
3	Bella Nova 2	8-9
4	Midnight Grace 7	8-9
5	Akbar Prince 6	8-8
6	Miss Coca Cola 4	8-5
7	Sea of Class 8	8-0

Book Fav: Sea of Class | Book Place: Star Crown | Book Fluke: Miss Coca Cola

My Fav: Star Crown | My Place: Biscuit | My Fluke: Miss Coca Cola

My reasoning: Another sharp divergence from the book. Star Crown (9-0) carries the outright top weight — 2 pounds ahead of Biscuit and a full 14 pounds ahead of the book's favourite Sea of Class (8-0). The book making Sea of Class the favourite at the bottom of the weights while placing Star Crown second is the same structural error we have seen repeatedly in this meeting. On a 1000m card, top weight authority is consistently more decisive than on 900m. Star Crown is my favourite without reservation. Biscuit (8-12) at second highest weight — just 2 pounds below the top — is the natural place selection. The book places Star Crown as place but misses the logical extension: if Star Crown is good enough to place, it is good enough to win on weight authority at the full distance. Miss Coca Cola (8-5) is my fluke — third time she has featured in my selections this meeting, and the book agrees on fluke status. She ran third on the August Cup card and is consistently competitive in the frame. Sea of Class (8-0) as the book's favourite defies the 1000m weight logic despite its form.

 

Race 3 · 8:10 PM — Class VII Division VI & VII — 1000m

Field of 7 (+ X Pride of Chandrai supplementary)

#	Horse	Weight
1	Gold Nation 5	9-0
2	True Promise 8	9-0
3	Piyari 6	8-6
4	Zaman Sahib 7	8-6
5	Naveed-e-Sahar 2	8-0
6	Bilal One 4	7-12
7	Gee-o-Lahori 3	7-10
+sup	X Pride of Chandrai	—

Book Fav: Gold Nation | Book Place: Piyari | Book Fluke: Bilal One

My Fav: Gold Nation | My Place: True Promise | My Fluke: Piyari

My reasoning: Full agreement with the book on the favourite but a significant divergence on place and fluke. Gold Nation (9-0) shares top weight with True Promise — both at the ceiling. The book separates them by making Gold Nation the favourite, which I support. Gold Nation has been one of the most impressive performers of the Summer Meeting, winning Race 5 on Day 5 from 8-11 and consistently allocated upper weights since. Now at 9-0 in Division VI & VII over 1000m, it is the banker of this race. My favourite is Gold Nation. The critical divergence: True Promise (9-0) also carries 9-0 — and the book places Piyari (8-6) as second selection while ignoring True Promise entirely. Two horses at joint top weight and the book's place goes to a horse 6 pounds below them — this is a significant analytical gap. True Promise at 9-0 in Division VI & VII over 1000m is the natural place. My place is True Promise. Piyari (8-6) drops to my fluke — the book's place call is understandable given form, but the weight logic demands True Promise sits above it. Bilal One (7-12) as the book's fluke over 1000m concedes 16 pounds to the top weights — a weight gap too wide to seriously contend at the full distance.

 

Race 4 · 8:45 PM — Class VII Division IV & V — 1000m

Field of 6 (+ 4 supplementaries)

#	Horse	Weight
1	Emerging Star 3	9-0
2	Paddington 5	8-2
3	Soon Pari 4	8-0
4	Haseeb Thunder 6	7-12
5	Vartika 2	7-10
6	Chhota Multani 7	7-10
+4	Supplementaries	—

Book Fav: Paddington | Book Place: Soan Pari | Book Fluke: Emerging Star

My Fav: Emerging Star | My Place: Paddington | My Fluke: Soan Pari

My reasoning: Complete and emphatic reversal of the book. Emerging Star (9-0) carries the outright top weight — 12 pounds ahead of Paddington and 14 ahead of Soan Pari. The book makes Emerging Star the fluke while installing Paddington (8-2) as the favourite — a horse conceding 12 pounds to the top weight over 1000m. Emerging Star is one of the defining horses of this Summer Meeting: it has carried 9-0 in Division IV across multiple meetings, finished second repeatedly, and the handicapper has never once questioned its top weight allocation. On 1000m — where weight authority is most decisive — the case for Emerging Star as favourite is overwhelming. The August Cup day confirmed that top-weight logic works on 1000m cards. My favourite is Emerging Star with complete conviction. Paddington (8-2) at second weight concedes significantly to the top but is the natural place — the book's favourite is my place. Soan Pari (8-0) ran a surprise third on the August Cup card from 7-10, has been nudged up to 8-0 in response, and is my fluke — consistent pace and an ascending weight trajectory make it interesting. The four supplementaries are unknown quantities but the established weight structure suggests Emerging Star holds decisive authority regardless of who joins the field.

Scams, sycophants, and side ventures: Naveed Sh’s blistering return

 

 

Asher Butt

In the high-stakes, deeply tribal world of Pakistani aviculture, few figures are as polarizing as Naveed Sheikh. In a recently aired market commentary session alongside co-hosts Imran and Irfan Ch, Sheikh made a fiery return to the digital airwaves, armed with a box of sweets, a blocked list, and a scathing indictment of the industry’s fair-weather culture. The overarching message was clear: the lovebird market is recovering, but the people in it remain as fickle as ever.

The session opened with a dramatic juxtaposition. As one visitor fawned over Sheikh, offering barfi and begging for prime rates on Yellow Face lovebirds amid rumors of a market revival, Sheikh took the opportunity to read aloud a voice note from a former follower. The individual was pleading to be unblocked on Facebook, addressing Sheikh as "Boss." Sheikh calmly revealed that merely 500 days prior, during the brutal market downturn—known locally as the Zawal—this exact same person, along with hundreds of others Sheikh had personally mentored, had been actively insulting him online. With the market showing signs of life, however, the sycophants had returned. Sheikh made it emphatically clear that the blockades are permanent, using the moment to launch a broader critique of what he described as a backstabbing culture, contrasting it unfavorably with the straightforward dealings he observes in Western business practices.

Despite the drama, Sheikh’s defense of his legacy was robust. Addressing rumors that he had abandoned aviculture for greener pastures, he set the record straight regarding his recent foray into construction, tourism, and livestock. With a touch of humor, Sheikh clarified that purchasing a few goats and chickens was merely a fleeting personal hobby, not a strategic business pivot. He confirmed that he has since liquidated those assets—along with his exotics like Amazons, Cockatoos, and Alexandrines—to return exclusively to his first love: lovebirds. He reminded his audience that those who abandoned lovebirds over the last two years to chase other ventures largely failed, proving that no small business yields the returns and personal satisfaction of lovebird breeding.

Sheikh’s loyalty to the Agapornis species is rooted in history. He noted that while he has dealt in high-end exotics, lovebirds were the species that granted him respect from day one. This loyalty was tested but never broken during the market slump. He and his co-hosts proudly recalled organizing a massive lovebird event at the absolute lowest point of the market crash—an event that drew over 1,000 attendees and even garnered sponsorship from law enforcement agencies like the Crime Control Department. For Sheikh, this was proof that unity, not panic, creates true market power.

Perhaps the most intriguing segment of the commentary was Sheikh’s unorthodox financial advice for breeders. Warning against reckless spending, he suggested that anyone investing heavily in a high-value bird—for instance, spending PKR 500,000—should immediately donate 10% (PKR 50,000) to charity. He framed this not just as a moral imperative, but as a spiritual risk management strategy to ward off "bad luck" or sudden bird mortality, encouraging breeders to make gifting chicks a regular practice.

However, Sheikh saved his most provocative stance for the end, tearing away the romanticized veil of the hobbyist. He boldly stated that the vast majority of his audience are not genuine bird lovers, but commercial traders masquerading as hobbyists. Chasing whatever mutation is currently expensive—such as the Yellow Face Opaline Dun Fallow—these individuals need to drop the pretense and accept they are running businesses. Concluding with a wry smile, Sheikh advised his followers to take a page out of the playbook of the Sheikh business community: learn to trade strategically, recover your capital, and navigate the market’s inevitable shifts without letting emotions—or sycophants—get in the way.

 

چاپلوسی، فریب اور بکریوں کا کاروبار: نوید شیخ کی لُوربرڈ مارکیٹ میں طنزانہ واپسی

 

پاکستان کی ایوکلچر (پرورش پرندوں) کی انتہائی حساس اور قبائلی دنیا میں نوید شیخ کی شخصیت ہمیشہ سے متنازع رہی ہے۔ حال ہی میں اپنے ساتھیوں عمران اور عرفان کے ساتھ ایک مارکیٹ ریویو سیشن میں، شیخ نے میٹھائی کے ڈبے، بلاک لسٹ اور اس انڈسٹری کے موسمی دوستوں کے پردے کھول کر تنقید کے ساتھ ڈیجیٹل دنیا میں زبردست واپسی کی ہے۔ ان کا مرکزی پیغام واضح تھا: لُوربرڈ (لووبرڈ) مارکیٹ حالے واپس آ رہی ہے، لیکن اس میں موجود لوگوں کی فکر اور خیالات پہلے سے بھی زیادہ بے ثبات ہیں۔

اس سیشن کا آغاز ایک دلچسپ منظر کے ساتھ ہوا۔ ایک شخص نے شیخ کی تعریفوں کے سند میں برفی پیش کرتے ہوئے مارکیٹ میں بحالی کے اشاروں کے درمیان 'ییلو فیس' لُوربرڈز کی بہترین شرحوں کی استدعا کی۔ اس کے جواب میں، شیخ نے ایک سابق فالوور کا ویس نوٹ بڑی آواز سے سنا جو انہیں فیس بک سے ان بلاک کرنے کی منتظر تھا اور انہیں باقاعدہ "باس" کہہ رہا تھا۔ شیخ نے سکون سے بتایا کہ صرف 500 دن پہلے، مارکیٹ کے سنگین مندی (زوال) کے دوران، یہی شخص جسے شیخ نے ذاتی طور پر تربیت دی تھی، ان کے خلاف سوشل میڈیا پر گالیاں دے رہا تھا۔ اب جب مارکیٹ نے پھر سے جان لینا شروع کر دی ہے تو یہ چاپلوس واپس آ گئے ہیں۔ شیخ نے واضح کیا کہ یہ بلاک مستقل ہے، اور اس موقع پر انہوں نے مقامی کاروباری ثقافت کو "پیٹھ میں چھرا مارنے" والی ثقافت قرار دیتے ہوئے مغربی ممالک کی سیدھی اور شفاف کاروباری طریقوں سے موازنہ کیا۔

ڈرامے کے باوجود، شیخ نے اپنے ورثے کا بھرپور دفاع کیا۔ ان پر یہ افواہ تھی کہ وہ بہتر مواقع کی تلاش میں ایوکلچر چھوڑ کر تعمیرات، سیاحت اور مویشی پالن میں چلے گئے ہیں۔ شیخ نے مزاحیہ انداز میں وضاحت کی کہ چند بکریاں اور مرغیاں خریدنا صرف ایک عارضی شوق تھا، کوئی کاروباری تبدیلی نہیں۔ انہوں نے تصدیق کی کہ انہوں نے اب ان بکریوں کے ساتھ ساتھ اپنے نایاب پرندوں (ایمازون، کاکاٹو، الیکزینڈرین) کو بھی بیچ دیا ہے اور وہ واپس اپنی پہلی محبت یعنی لُوربرڈز کی طرف آ چکے ہیں۔ انہوں نے اپنے ناظرین کو یاد دلایا کہ گزشتہ دو سالوں میں جن لوگوں نے لُوربرڈز چھوڑ کر دوسرے کاروبار شروع کیے، وہ ناکام ہوئے، جو ثابت کرتا ہے کہ لُوربرڈز کی پرورش سے زیادہ منافع اور تسکین کسی اور چھوٹے کاروبار سے نہیں ملتی۔

شیخ کی لُوربرڈ نسل کے ساتھ وفاداری کی جڑیں گہری ہیں۔ انہوں نے بتایا کہ اگرچہ انہوں نے مہنگے پرندوں کا کاروبار کیا، لیکن لُوربرڈ وہ نسل تھی جس نے پہلے دن سے انہیں احترام عطا کیا۔ مارکیٹ کے گرنے کے دوران ان کی اس وفاداری کی آزمائش ہوئی لیکن وہ ٹوٹی نہیں۔ شیخ اور ان کے ساتھیوں نے باقاعدہ مارکیٹ کے سب سے نچلے پائے پر ایک بڑا ایونٹ منعقد کرنے کی یاد دہانی کی، جس میں 1000 سے زائد افراد نے شرکت کی اور یہاں تک کہ کرائم کنٹرول ڈپارٹمنٹ جیسے اداروں نے بھی اسے سپانسر کیا۔ شیخ کے لیے یہ ثابت تھا کہ خوف کے بجائے اتحاد ہی حقیقی مارکیٹ کی طاقت ہے۔

شاید تبصرے کا سب سے دلچسپ حصہ شیخ کی غیر روایتی مالی مشورہ تھا۔ بریڈرز کو لاپرواہی سے خرچ کرنے سے خبردار کرتے ہوئے، انہوں نے مشورہ دیا کہ اگر کوئی شخص کسی مہنگے پرندے پر مثلاً 5 لاکھ روپے خرچ کر رہا ہے، تو فوراً 10 فیصد (50 ہزار روپے) صدقے میں دے دے۔ انہوں نے اسے صرف ایک اخلاقی فرض نہیں بلکہ ایک روحانی خطرے سے بچاؤ کی حکمت عملی قرار دیا تاکہ بدقسمتی یا پرندے کے انتقال سے بچا جا سکے، اور انہوں نے بریڈرز کو اپنے اویئریز سے چوز (بچے) تحفے میں دینے کی عادت ڈالنے کی ترغیب دی۔

تاہم، شیخ نے اپنا سب سے طنزانہ موقف آخر میں رکھا، جہاں انہوں نے شوقیے پرندے رکھنے والوں کے دلکش چہرے سے پردہ اٹھایا۔ انہوں نے صراحت سے کہا کہ ان کے ناظرین کی اکثریت حقیقی شوقیہ نہیں بلکہ وہ تاجر ہیں جو "شوق" کا نقاب اوڑھے بیٹھے ہیں۔ وہ فی الحال جس بھی میوٹیشن (جیسے ییلو فیس اوپالین ڈن فالو) مہنگی ہو، اس کے پیچھے بھاگ رہے ہیں۔ شیخ نے انہیں مشورہ دیا کہ وہ ڈرامے بند کریں اور یہ قبول کر لیں کہ وہ کاروبار چلا رہے ہیں۔ ایک مسکراتے ہوئے انداز میں شیخ نے اپنے فالوورز کو مشورہ دیا کہ وہ "شیخ" برادری کے کاروباری طریقوں سے سبق لیں: بغیر جذبات کے سمجھدار طریقے سے ٹریڈ کریں، اپنی پونجی بحال کریں، اور مارکیٹ کی تبدیلیوں کا سامنا کریں—اور سب سے اہم بات، چاپلوسیوں کو اپنے راستے میں آنے کے بجائے کمرے سے باہر کا راستہ دکھائیں۔

August Cup at LRC day’s feature

 

August Cup day’s feature — Lahore Race Club

Sunday, 23rd August 2026 | 5 Races | First Race 7:00 PM

All five races over 900m

 

Race 1 · 7:00 PM — Class VII Division VI & VII (Maiden) — 900m

Field of 10

#	Horse	Weight
1	Messi 8	9-0
2	Lady Sareena 7	8-12
3	Grace 11	8-7
4	Miss Coca Cola 5	8-7
5	Hashim Prince 10	8-6
6	Chota Zaman 3	8-2
7	Hamdan Prince 9	8-0
8	Sea of Class 6	8-0
9	Quiz 2	7-10
10	Flokey 4	7-10

Book Fav: Lady Sareena | Book Place: Sea of Class | Book Fluke: Miss Coca Cola

My Fav: Messi | My Place: Lady Sareena | My Fluke: Miss Coca Cola

My reasoning: Messi (9-0) carries the outright top weight in this ten-horse maiden — 2 pounds ahead of Lady Sareena and 7 pounds clear of the book's place selection Sea of Class (8-0). This is a new name in the maiden field and the handicapper's decision to allocate the full 9-0 ceiling immediately signals genuine belief in its potential. On a 900m card, this meeting has consistently shown that top weight alone does not guarantee a win — but in maiden company specifically, the weight allocation reflects the handicapper's assessment of raw ability more directly than in division races. My favourite is Messi. Lady Sareena (8-12) ran second on Day 8 from top weight — the handicapper has retained it at 8-12 in response, confirming it as the natural place selection. It is the most experienced and proven horse in the field relative to its weight and the book is right to include it, though I move it to place behind Messi. Miss Coca Cola (8-7) at joint third weight with Grace is my fluke — the book identifies it as the outsider worth watching and I agree. Sea of Class (8-0) as the book's place at 9 pounds below the top weight is a form-based call that the 900m distance may support, but the weight gap is significant.

 

Race 2 · 7:35 PM — Class VII Division VI & VII — 900m

Field of 6

#	Horse	Weight
1	Chotta Multani 5	9-0
2	King Asia 4	8-10
3	Bilal One 6	8-0
4	Star Crown 7	8-0
5	Sosig Go 3	7-13
6	Gallop In Glory 2	7-8

Book Fav: King Asia | Book Place: Chotta Multani | Book Fluke: Sosig Go

My Fav: Chotta Multani | My Place: King Asia | My Fluke: Sosig Go

My reasoning: Full and sharp disagreement with the book. Chotta Multani (9-0) carries the outright top weight — 4 pounds ahead of King Asia and a full 15 pounds ahead of Gallop In Glory. The book makes King Asia (8-10) the favourite despite it conceding 4 pounds to the top weight over 900m — a form-over-weight call that mirrors the pattern we have seen throughout this meeting. The difference here is that Chotta Multani's record at this meeting is exceptional: it won Race 1 on Day 5 from 8-8, ran second on Day 6 at 8-2, and the handicapper has now elevated it to 9-0 — the strongest possible statement of confidence. Chotta Multani is the banker selection of this race and my favourite with full conviction. King Asia (8-10) at second weight is my place — the book's enthusiasm for it is understandable and it will likely frame. Sosig Go (7-13) is my fluke — sitting just above Gallop In Glory at the bottom but with enough pace profile over 900m to steal third.

 

Race 3 · 8:10 PM — August Cup — Class VII Division I, II & III — 900m

Field of 6

#	Horse	Weight
1	Awan Choice 6	9-4
2	Pakiza 5	8-10
3	Moni Prince 7	8-6
4	Saltanat 3	7-10
5	Dar Princess 2	7-8
6	Classic Mystery 4	7-8

Book Fav: Awan Choice | Book Place: Pakiza | Book Fluke: Classic Mystery

My Fav: Awan Choice | My Place: Pakiza | My Fluke: Moni Prince

My reasoning: Complete agreement with the book on the top two — and this is the clearest structured race of the card. Awan Choice (9-4) carries an extraordinary top weight allocation — 10 pounds ahead of Pakiza, 14 clear of Moni Prince, and a full 20 pounds ahead of the bottom cluster. That is not a handicap weight; that is a statement of absolute class superiority. Awan Choice won the Independence Day Cup on Day 8 from top weight, won Race 4 on Day 6 as an upset from 8-5, and the handicapper has now elevated it to 9-4 in the senior August Cup. This is the horse of the meeting in Division I/II/III and my favourite without any hesitation. Pakiza (8-10) is the natural place — consistent frame performer, recognised by the book, well-placed at 10 pounds below the leader. The divergence is in the fluke: the book selects Classic Mystery (7-8) — which did win the Jashn-e-Azadi Cup on Day 8 — while I prefer Moni Prince (8-6). Moni Prince sits closer to the top weight band at 14 pounds below Awan Choice and above both Saltanat and the two 7-8 horses. Classic Mystery at 7-8 has pace credentials but 20 pounds below Awan Choice in the cup race is a severe structural disadvantage. Moni Prince is my fluke.

 

Race 4 · 8:45 PM — Class VII Division IV & V — 900m

Field of 8 (+ 2 supplementary)

#	Horse	Weight
1	Bellatrix 4	8-10
2	Best Call 3	8-4
3	Fatteh Prince 2	8-2
4	Soon Pari 6	7-10
5	Gondal Baba 5	7-10
6	Sher Dil 7	7-10
+2	Supplementaries	—

Book Fav: Bellatrix | Book Place: Fatteh Prince | Book Fluke: Best Call

My Fav: Bellatrix | My Place: Best Call | My Fluke: Fatteh Prince

My reasoning: Agreement on the favourite but divergence in the lower slots. Bellatrix (8-10) carries the outright top weight — 6 pounds ahead of Best Call and 8 ahead of Fatteh Prince. Bellatrix has been one of the most consistent performers of the entire Summer Meeting — third on Day 3, third on Day 5, second on Day 6, third on Day 8 in the Azadi Cup — always framing, always near the top, never quite winning. The handicapper's sustained confidence at 8-10 in Division IV & V is justified, and on 900m where it has repeatedly performed, the breakthrough win feels overdue. My favourite is Bellatrix. The divergence is between Best Call and Fatteh Prince for place and fluke positions. Best Call (8-4) sits 6 pounds below Bellatrix and has shown consistent form — my place. Fatteh Prince (8-2) won Race 4 on Day 6 outright and ran third on Day 7 — it carries genuine winning credentials and is my fluke. The book has this inverted, placing Fatteh Prince as place and Best Call as fluke. Both are credible frame candidates; the difference is marginal and both should be in the frame regardless.

 

Race 5 · 9:20 PM — Class VII Division VI — 900m

Field of 6

#	Horse	Weight
1	Black Fire 3	9-0
2	Xena 7	9-0
3	Royal Stone 6	8-10
4	Piyari 5	8-10
5	Zaman Sahib 2	8-10
6	True My Love 4	8-4

Book Fav: Xena | Book Place: True My Love | Book Fluke: Black Fire

My Fav: Black Fire | My Place: Royal Stone | My Fluke: Xena

My reasoning: The most fascinating race of the card — Black Fire and Xena share the joint top weight of 9-0, creating a genuine head-to-head between two horses the handicapper rates equally. The book separates them by making Xena the favourite and demoting Black Fire to fluke. I take the opposite view. Black Fire won Race 2 on Day 6 outright from 7-12 — the handicapper has elevated it dramatically to 9-0 in response, which is among the most emphatic weight rises on any horse at this meeting. That rise signals a performance the handicapper considers to be of genuine 9-0 quality. Xena won Race 3 on Day 5 as the book's favourite at 7-12 and has been elevated to 9-0 as well — both weight rises are emphatic. I give the narrow edge to Black Fire based on the trajectory and recency of its form. My place is Royal Stone (8-10) — not Xena or True My Love. Royal Stone won Race 2 on Day 5 from top weight and has now been placed in Division VI at 8-10 below two joint 9-0 horses. A horse of Royal Stone's class at 8-10 in Division VI is an absolute place banker. True My Love (8-4) as the book's place is an underestimate of Royal Stone's quality. Xena drops to my fluke — it is a worthy favourite candidate but Black Fire's form trajectory gives it the narrower edge.

7th day LRC meeting

Asher Butt

7th Day — Lahore Summer Meeting 2026
Sunday, 2nd August 2026 | 4 Races | First Race 7:00 PM
All four races over 1000m — full distance card returns

 

Race 1 · 7:00 PM — Class VII Division VI & VII — 1000m

Field of 12

#	Horse	Weight
1	Roxy 4	8-12
2	Tehran Shan 5	8-10
3	Chahal King 13	8-8
4	True My Love 6	8-8
5	Chota Zaman 12	8-8
6	Myuna 11	8-8
7	Hamdan Prince 2	8-2
8	Khizar Queen 7	8-1
9	Lady Sereena 8	7-12
10	Majesty 9	7-12
11	Gallop In Glory 3	7-12
12	Sosig Go 10	7-10

Book Fav: Majesty | Book Place: Roxy | Book Fluke: True My Love

My Fav: Roxy | My Place: Tehran Shan | My Fluke: Majesty

My reasoning: The return to 1000m fundamentally changes the weight analysis — and this is where my system diverges most sharply from the book. Roxy (8-12) carries the outright top weight in a twelve-horse field, 2 pounds ahead of Tehran Shan and 4 pounds clear of the four-way cluster at 8-8. The book makes Majesty (7-12) the favourite despite it sitting 14 pounds below the top weight. On Day 5, Royal Stone (9-0) won Race 2 over 1000m from top weight, vindicating the weight logic at the full distance — this is the crucial distinction from the 900m cards where bottom weights dominated. Roxy at 8-12 over 1000m in a twelve-runner field is my favourite. Tehran Shan (8-10), second highest weight, is the natural place. Majesty drops to my fluke — its recent form is clearly attracting the book's attention but the 14-pound weight concession over 1000m is a significant structural disadvantage.

 

Race 2 · 7:35 PM — Class VII Division V & VI — 1000m

Field of 8

#	Horse	Weight
1	Babbar Sher 6	8-10
2	Zaman Sahib 9	8-8
3	Raja The Great 4	8-6
4	Bilal Love 2	8-6
5	Royal Stone 7	8-4
6	Yes Commander 3	7-12
7	True Promise 8	7-10
8	Tatla One 5	7-10

Book Fav: Zaman Sahib | Book Place: Babbar Sher | Book Fluke: Bilal Love

My Fav: Babbar Sher | My Place: Zaman Sahib | My Fluke: Bilal Love

My reasoning: A fascinating race with a key historical thread running through it. Babbar Sher (8-10) carries the outright top weight — 2 pounds ahead of Zaman Sahib and 4 ahead of Raja The Great and Bilal Love. Babbar Sher won Race 2 on Day 2 of the Summer Meeting from top weight and has been a consistent frame finisher throughout — the book placing it second to Zaman Sahib on form grounds is understandable but on the 1000m return, top weight authority reasserts itself. My favourite is Babbar Sher. Zaman Sahib (8-8) at second weight is my place — the book's confidence in it is justified by recent form and it sits in the classic runner-up profile. Now the most intriguing pick: Bilal Love (8-6) has won two races at this meeting — Race 1 on Day 4 and Race 4 on Day 5 — both times from the lower weight positions. The handicapper has now elevated it to 8-6 in Division V & VI. Previous wins came from 7-10 and 7-10 respectively — the weight rise is significant but this horse has proven winning ability at this meeting. My fluke, with genuine conviction that it can run into the frame again. Note that Royal Stone (8-4) drops from its 9-0 top weight in Division VI & VII to 8-4 in Division V & VI — a horse of that class at a reduced weight in a stronger division is worth watching, though it just misses my selection slots.

 

Race 3 · 8:10 PM — Class VII Division II & III — 1000m

Field of 5 (+ 8-11 supplementary)

#	Horse	Weight
1	Imperius 5	8-12
2	Jalsa 3	8-8
3	Golden Choice 6	7-12
4	Fatteh Prince 2	7-12
5	Bellatrix 4	7-12
+sup	(8-11)	8-11

Book Fav: Fatteh Prince | Book Place: Bellatrix | Book Fluke: Imperius

My Fav: Imperius | My Place: Jalsa | My Fluke: Fatteh Prince

My reasoning: This is the sharpest divergence from the book on the entire card and I hold my position with full conviction. Imperius (8-12) carries the outright top weight in this five-runner Division II & III field — 1 pound ahead of the supplementary entry at 8-11, 4 pounds ahead of Jalsa, and a full stone ahead of the three-way cluster at 7-12 that includes the book's favourite Fatteh Prince. Imperius has been one of the most consistent frame finishers of the meeting — second on Day 4 from 8-6, second again on Day 6 from 8-6 — and the handicapper has now elevated it to 8-12 in response. The book calling it the fluke while making Fatteh Prince (7-12) the favourite — a horse conceding 14 pounds to the top weight over 1000m in the senior division — is the weakest book call of the card. On 1000m in Division II & III, the top weight carries decisive authority. My favourite is Imperius. Jalsa (8-8) at second highest weight is my place. Fatteh Prince (7-12) won Race 4 on Day 6 from the fluke position and the book is riding that momentum — it drops to my fluke, acknowledging its proven winning ability at this meeting while noting the structural weight disadvantage against Imperius.

 

Race 4 · 8:45 PM — Class VII Division IV — 1000m

Field of 8

#	Horse	Weight
1	Emerging Star 2	9-0
2	Best Call 6	8-12
3	Be A Man 4	8-4
4	Paddington 7	8-2
5	Vartika 5	8-0
6	Fakhar-e-Sardar 3	7-12
7	Shareeka 9	7-10
8	Haseeb Thunder 8	7-8

Book Fav: Fakhar-e-Sardar | Book Place: Vartika | Book Fluke: Paddington

My Fav: Emerging Star | My Place: Best Call | My Fluke: Fakhar-e-Sardar

My reasoning: The most analytically loaded race of the card — and the one where the contrast between weight logic and form-based thinking is most acute. Emerging Star (9-0) carries the outright top weight — 2 pounds ahead of Best Call, 8 pounds clear of Be A Man, and a remarkable 15 pounds ahead of the book's favourite Fakhar-e-Sardar (7-12). The book making Fakhar-e-Sardar favourite at the very bottom of the weights while the 9-0 allocation sits unconsidered is a call I simply cannot support on a 1000m card. Emerging Star has been one of the most consistent performers of the meeting — second on Day 3 in Class VI/VII company, second again on Day 5 at 8-12 — and the handicapper has now elevated it to the full 9-0 ceiling. That is the strongest confidence signal available in the weight structure. My favourite is Emerging Star without hesitation. Best Call (8-12) at second weight is the natural place — close to the top weight and with form that warrants a frame position. Now the crucial third selection: Fakhar-e-Sardar (7-12) is one of the most persistently mistreated horses of this entire meeting. It won Race 2 on Day 3 at 9-0, has finished in the frame across multiple divisions, and has been cycled between fluke and place designations by the book for the entire Summer Meeting. At 7-12 in Division IV, it has been dropped significantly in weight — which paradoxically may allow it to run with freedom. The book has it right as favourite from a form perspective; I have it as my fluke purely because the weight structure places Emerging Star and Best Call above it analytically. But this is a horse of higher class than its current weight suggests, and if Emerging Star disappoints, Fakhar-e-Sardar will be the beneficiary.