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.