KARACHI, March 11: Hot favourite four-year-old bay colt Truf Shot obliged the punters by sprinting to glory in the rain-marred Gymkhana race meeting at the Karachi Racecourse on Sunday.
Ridden by jockey M. Nasir he galloped to eight lengths victory over chestnut Thanks Naeem with ease in a start to finish bid. They were followed by filly Sugar Sweet while mare Rana The Great completed the frame.
Zaki Zakir, rider of Sugar Sweet, was found reluctant by not allowing the filly run on her merit throughout the race.
This was the third race of the programme and the rain compelled the KRC administrator, Fakir Syed Aitzaz Uddin, to cancel the remaining schedule. Earlier, the first two races were held in light drizzle.
“A new handicap will be issued for the next race meeting which takes place on Wednesday,” Syed Ali Akbar Shah Rashdi, deputy secretary of the KRC, told Dawn.
Another favourite horse The Choice Of The Day with Asghar Ali aboard, posted a one length victory over Super Shot to land the opener.
Mare Meri Paidagiree finished three lengths behind to finish third while another three lengths away was Qandhar.
Eight-year-old chestnut mare Sweet Touch ridden by Arshad claimed the second race following a technical objection and the winner Khyber was penalised and pushed to fourth place.
Khyber, Sweet Touch, Sonia and Moment To Moment II finished in the same order. However, after the race Sweet Touch lodged an objection against Khyber for using jumping plate instead of silver plate and the committee upheld the decision.
Mares Sonia and Moment To Moment II also benefited with the decision and secured second and third places.
Results:
THE GUL PLATE DIV III-B CLASS VII 4 1/2F:
The Choice Of The Day (M. Yaqoob Butt) 7-11 Asghar Ali 1, Super Shot 8-10 M. Rehman 2, Meri Paidagiree 8-11 Mohammad Essa 3, Qandhar 8-8 Sohail Ahmed 4. Won by 1L, 3L, 3L. Time: 1 min 1/5 sec.
Winner trained by owner.
THE GUL PLATE DIV III-A CLASS VII 5F:
Sweet Touch (Irfan Mehdi) 8-10 Arshad 1, Sonia 8-4(cr7-11) Ali Ehsan 2, Moment To Moment II 8-2 M. Amjad 3, Khyber 8-1 Fahim K 4. Won by 4L, 5L, 6L. Time: 1 min 4 2/5 sec.
Winner trained by G. Hassan.
THE GUL PLATE DIV II-A CLASS VII 5 1/2F:
Truf Shot (Gul Mohammad Rajar) 9-2 M. Nasir 1, Thanks Naeem 8-12 Arshad 2, Sugar Sweet 8-2 Zaki Zakir 3, Rana The Great 8-0 Mohammad Essa 4. Won by 8L, Dist, 2L. Time: 1 min 15 1/5 sec.Winner trained by Mushtaq Ali Khan.