June 23, 2002	Sunday	Rabi-us-Sani 11, 1423

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KARACHI, June 22: Strategic, the three-year old thoroughbred chestnut filly from Strides By Strides out of First Lady, is on course to complete a hat trick, when the Summer Gymkhana Meeting gets underway at the Karachi Racecourse on Sunday.

Two weeks ago under former champion rider Shafi Mohammad, Strategic scorched the turf, winning a five furlong sprint in one minute 3 4/5 seconds on tight reins, beating nearest rival Giselle by seven lengths.

Contesting in the concluding race with five other runners in the field, the filly should coast to another comfortable victory, with Hamza Saheb finishing ahead of Ray Of Light for the second spot.

Only six events have been drawn up on the racing card, all to be run over the sprinting distance of six furlongs. The first race begins at 2.00 p.m.

Another runner that should not be beaten is Miss Zainab Ali’s thoroughbred bay mare Winning Queue.

Participating in the third race in a big field of 13 runners, the five-year-old with jockey M. Nasir once again in the saddle, should sprint past the winning post chased all the way by top weight My Time and the game dark bay gelding Black Champion.

The same could be said about another thoroughbred chestnut mare Tomahawk. Suspended along with her rider Zahoor Ahmed for two months for an unsatisfactory performance, the duo made their appearance on the racing track last week and finished second behind Donatello.

Although a slow starter, Tomahawk should improve further and collar the small field of seven runners in the fifth race of the afternoon, with front runner Nudrat if ticking, finishing second ahead of Golden News.

In the opener with 10 runners vying for the top honours, a nine- year-old chestnut gelding Lucky Love trained by M. Tufail, looks the best in the lot and should be followed home by Royal Springs and Sher Khan.

Yahya Shahid’s 10-year-old bay horse Touch Of Joy with Tahseen Hussain astride, came from behind in the middle of the track to finish a good second behind the chestnut colt Jack Pot only last week.

Also a little slow off the mark, Touch Of Joy although penalised to carry a heavy burden of nine stones and five pounds on his back, is our fancy to win this race with Shahdad Star finishing second best from Law Of Nature in the next race.

In the fourth race, Lucky Three, a full sister to Strategic, finished a poor fourth behind Evershine, Donatello and Hiawatha in her last outing under jockey Sajjid Hussain four weeks ago.

The filly is tracking excellently in the early morning workouts and without a shadow of doubt has the speed to beat the thoroughbred bay mare Lover’s Line and Edward Chou’s half bred game mare Guarantee.

Although a good day of horseracing awaits the fans once again, it will not surprise me in the least if a few upsets will be the order of the day.

Following is the field and our selections:

MEHRAN PLATE CLASS IX DIV G-IV 5F

Millennium Era 9-0, Royal Springs 9-0, Fast Spin 8-13, Neeli Nighain 8-9, Lucky Love 8-6, Speed Fire 8-2, Sher Khan 8-1, Money Make Music 7-13, The Messenger 7-10 and Sunday Silence 7-9.

Win: Lucky Love

Place: Royal Springs & Sher Khan.

MEHRAN PLATE CLASS IX DIV G-II 5F

Touch Of Joy 9-5, Shahdad Star 9-1, Law Of Nature 9-0, Kiev 8-10, Guriya Phool 8-10, Just In Fun 8-10, Prince Naeem 8-8, Royal Promise 8-8, Recent Command 8-4, Prism Of Life 8-2, Royal Wisdom 8-0, Sone Pari 7-12 and Party Time 7-10.

Win: Touch Of Joy

Place: Shahdad Star & Law Of Nature.

MEHRAN PLATE CLASS IX DIV G-I 5F

My Time 9-0, Winning Queue 8-8, Chardha Suraj 8-8, Sunday Picnic 8-7, Sajan Black 8-5, Miss Ruby 8-5, Jamaima 8-5, Black Champion 8-3, Done Is Done 8-2, Sharoz-e-Sehar 8-2, Welcome Shahtab 8-1, Lightening Arrow 8-1 and Charmastic Eyes 7-10.

Win: Winning Queue

Place: My Time & Black Champion.

MEHRAN PLATE CLASS IX DIV VII 5F

Rich Valiant 9-0, Guarantee 8-13, Lover’s Line 8-11, Your Excellency 8-10, Venturst Arrow 8-10, Shah Rose 8-10, Lucky Three 8-9, Royal Romance 8-7, Aziz Saheb 8-2, Pearl 8-1, Ghazan King 7-12 and Aziz Love 7-11.

Win: Lucky Three

Place: Lover’s Line & Guarantee.

MEHRAN PLATE CLASS IX DIV IV 5F

Nudrat 9-0, Shandar 8-13, Tomahawk 8-12, Deniro 8-11, Golden News 8-8, Rehmat Ka Phool 8-7 and Ever Smiling 8-7.

Win: Tomahawk

Place: Nudrat.

MEHRAN PLATE CLASS IX DIV IV & V 5F

Feasible 9-0, Sach Mo 8-13, Hamza Saheb 8-13, Strategic 8-11, Champion By Chance and Ray Of Light 8-7.

Win: Strategic

Place: Hamza Saheb.

DAY’S BEST: Strategic

GOOD DOUBLE: Winning Queue - Tomahawk.