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| November 12, 2001 | Monday | Shaba’an 25, 1422 |
Steal The Show on rampage
KARACHI, Nov 11: Steal The Show, with Lahore’s champion rider Shahid Rehman in the saddle, continued on his winning spree, by lifting the prestigious Colts & Fillies Trial Cup run over a distance of seven furlongs, at the Winter Gymkhana Meeting held on Sunday at the Karachi Racecourse.
The impressive bay colt, a sibling of Flaming Arrow out of First Lady and owned by M. Shafiq, never gave the connections any jitters lying a distance fifth as Edging Ahead and My Freedom fought for the early lead.
Nearing the five furlong marker, Steal The Show urged on by his rider began to gain ground and approaching the bend was comfortably placed in third position. Turning for home, Steal The Show quickened his pace, scorching the turf in one minute 30 1/5 seconds with still plenty to spare.
Nine lengths behind came the game Edging Ahead, nosing out Gambling Girl for the second spot, as the two matched each other stride for stride in the home stretch.
The magic eye of the camera however, awarded the race to top weight Edging Ahead by a neck. The Champion Strides completed the frame.
The running of the second favourite The Club Champion however, left much to be desired. Many seasoned racing fans thought that with stone’s advantage as compared to his last race, The Club Champion was on course to even beat Steal The Show.
Two bookmakers in the ring were gobbling up a large sum of money on the colt even after the racing fans continued to bet heavily on the Club Champion for a place chance not to mention a win.
Something seemed to terribly amiss and our suspicions were confirmed when the race began. All seven runners in the race took a level start but The Club Champion with Shahzad in the saddle, slowed down to be content with the last position in the race.
Then at the first bend near the five furlong marker, Shehzad, like an absolute novice took his mount wide to lose further ground as the majority of the racing fans grunted and groaned. With the result The Club Champion was destined for the last place.
Speaking to the Stipendiary Steward after the race he told Dawn that he was not satisfied with Shehzad’s handling of The Club Champion.
It must be remembered that Shehzad had his license revoked for several months by the Racing Stewards for his dishonesty in the saddle. Yet after a very long layoff the rider was reinstated due to some connections with a very high source and now holding the key, his misadventures in the saddle once again seems to be creeping up on the horizon.
The Stewards should check the recording tape of this race and once again the rider should have his license terminated before he causes more damage.
Also shameful to witness was the cancellation of the Youngster Cup for two-year-old TBP and HB colts and fillies, after the thoroughbred bay colt Moving Ahead, reared up at the gate and was injured.
Instead of removing the injured colt from the race the Stewards cancelled it. The Chairman of the Karachi Race Club told this correspondent that on Thursday the last racing day before the Holy month of Ramazan, The Youngster Cup will take place again.
Due to the changing of riders in nearly every race and the handful of grooms at the gate, indeed a mismanaged lot, each race took about an hour instead of the usual 30 minutes. Some food for thought.
The last race on the programme too was also cancelled due to fading light.
As predicted in our columns Mark won the opening race, but jockey M. Bashir astride the winner, really had to work up a sweat in winning this race after his mount was 10th out of the gates. After a hectic time Bashir managed help Mark collar the front runner Money Make Music, a few yards from the winning post.
Aziz Love won the next event from front runner Law Of Nature in his last strides, after Bashir Karim replaced M. Pervaiz in the saddle.
In another thriller, Wonderful Boy ridden by Ali Sher, nosed out front runner Raysham at the finish by a neck.
M. Yousuf rode a magnificent race when he piloted home Feasible to victory in the fourth race of the afternoon.
When the race began, Magyar was leading the field of 18 runners, nearing the bend with Feasible seventh in the far distance. Turning for home Magyar went terribly wide and took a few horses along with her before she stumbled and fell. Mercifully there was no harm done to the horse and rider.
Feasible keeping a straight course was now engaged in a fantastic duel for supremacy with Hamza Saheb and although the bay horse went wide with the excursion, held on to beat Hamza Saheb by 3/4 of a length.
SINDH PLATE CLASS IX DIV IV 5F
Winner: Mark
SINDH PLATE CLASS IX DIV III 5F
Winner: Aziz Love
SINDH PLATE CLASS IX DIV II 5F
Winner: Wonderful Boy
SINDH PLATE CLASS IX DIV G-I 5F
Winner: Feasible
YOUNGSTER CUP 6F
Race cancelled
COLTS & FILLIES TRIAL CUP 7F
Winner: The Show
SINDH PLATE CLASS IX DIV VII 5F
Race cancelled
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