LAHORE: The odds on favourite bay colt Sardar lived up to his star billing powering to victory while winning the Derby Trials race run over 2000 metres during the Lahore Winter Meeting at the Racecourse here on Sunday.

Owned by Mohammad Ashfaq Choudhry, the Taugeer Ahmad-trained colt ridden by jocl(ey Aamir Pervaiz beat bay colt Trigger at the line to win by a length. Bay filly Swift Retort finished third among nine starters.

The main supporting event, the Retired Col Syed Abid Hussain Memorial Cup run over 1400 metres was won by bay filly Sincere Approach, who defeated co-favourite chestnut Brooklyn with bay colt Dawn To Dusk occupying third place.

The Mohyuddin trained winner was ridden by Aamir Pervaiz, who earned a good cup double. Jockey Aamir was, however, very unlucky for not completing a hattrick of victories when partnering favourite chestnut horse Jim And Tonic, as he lost the race to bay filly Tiete, ridden by Mazhar Ali in the big upset of the day.

The winner, owned by M. Abubakar Attique Durrani was trained by Shakir Hussain to give a big shock to favourite backers.

Earlier the Saeed Butt Memorial Cup race was won by Mal(hdum Syed Ahmad Mahmood-owned bay colt Sultan in a runaway victory.

The Shahaid Rehman-trained winner was guided to victory by jockey Shahbaz A as a sizeable crowd attended a nine-race card on a sunny afternoon.-Aftab Gilani