KARACHI, April 9: Tharkyee, the bay three-year-old sibling from Strides By Strides out of Maximum Risk is on song to win again, when the Winter Gymkhana Race Meeting gets underway at the Karachi Racecourse on Sunday afternoon.

Participating in the seventh race going over six furlongs, the colt won his last engagement about two weeks ago under jockey Saif Mohammad, beating Royal Commander and Penny going over the sprinting distance of five furlongs while carrying 8-0 on her back.

On Sunday however, Tharkyee will be carrying 14 pounds more and will be running this time over six furlongs. The main challenge should come from the chestnut horse Sarazan, going 15 pounds lighter when he was beaten by Ever So Clever by two and half lengths over six furlongs last week with young Faisal Khan astride.

Excalibur, a highly bred dark filly from Key Guy-Radcliffe, an impressive winner over here a few weeks ago, although burdened to carry 9-4 on her back could grab the third spot in a field of 10 runners.

A card of eight events have been chalked out for the afternoon’s programme with the first five races going over the sprinting distance of five furlongs. The sixth race, the Sindh Cup will be contested by eight runners over seven furlongs and the last two events will be run over six furlongs.

The first race begins at 1-30 p.m.

Last week a lot of false betting came on the bay horse Ghori, but later the connections after sending the majority of the racing fans into an absolute spin, went with the chestnut mare Taneez, which left a very bad taste in the mouth. However, the miscreants received a rude shock upsetting their applecart, when Fate played her hand.

Taneez leading for most part of the race was beaten by rank outsider Afzaal Prince, running closest to the railing in her very last stride.

On Sunday both Ghori and Taneez are participating together once again in the opening event and according to the handicap, Ghori is carrying 8-9 to Taneez’s 9-6. But let this not fool you.

Although Ghori is going 11 pounds lighter than Taneez, the latter can get a seven pound allowance with a riding boy astride and now carrying only 8-11, can win this five furlong encounter from bay horse Jango, with Ghori grabbing the third slot.

In the next race, Super Time tracking well in the morning workouts can win the next race, closely followed home by Cool Water and Super Boy.

Last week Ladla finished second behind Ultimate Victory and taking that run into consideration, can make amends by sprinting to victory in the third event ahead of Khush Nazar and High Light.

Silent Love, is fancied in these columns to pick up the spoils in the following event, after undergoing a keen tussle with Auzy and chestnut horse My Yanga, with 16 runners lining up at the starting gate.

The fifth race has 17 runners in the field with the dark bay filly Noor-e-Arab beaten quite easily by Safeena-e-Arab last week, resuming her winning ways edging out Snake River and the bay horse Issey Miyke, trained by Abid Ali Jan.

The Sindh Cup will have eight highly bred runners, four years old and upwards vying for the top honours in the sixth event. Of the lot the Tanuf-Kafocia thoroughbred sibling Fantastic Face, although finishing a disappointing fourth behind Leo, Real Gift and Al Faris, in the Pakistan Day Cup contested over seven furlongs.

Running over the same distance on Sunday, Fantastic Face is our fancy to pick up the glittering trophy, with much talked about bay horse Blues Traveller and the chestnut colt Killer Instincts content with the third spot.

The eighth event on the afternoon’s card seems reserved for the four-year-old filly Princess J.T.M., with the bay mare Penny getting the better of Wonder Thunder for the second spot in a keen encounter.

Following is the field and our selections.

QUEEN PLATE CLASS VII DIV VI 5F