January 10, 2008	Thursday	Zilhaj 30, 1428

KARACHI, Jan 9: Favourite four-year-old bay filly Sweetie Pie bit the dust for the second time in three days on Wednesday as outsider colt Dark Secret raced to victory in the supporting event of the Gymkhana race meeting at the Karachi Racecourse.

In a late burst, Dark Secret partnered by champion rider Ghulam Shabbir II, came from behind to turn the tables on the front runners – The Princess Arab and Sweetie Pie.

The former was placed a second half length behind while the latter seized third spot by virtue of beating Leopard Of Arab by a head in a photo-finish verdict.

The last minute change of rider by the connection on Dark Secret made the difference. Apprentice rider Irfan Shahwani was replaced by experienced jockey Shabbir who had allegedly pulled Sweetie Pie in the last run.

In the two other upsets of the day, colt Star Is Born and Samra Love won their respective races out of the blue and presented the owners with a winner.

Having won two back-to-back races earlier Star Is Born galloped to a facile 10 length’s victory over Dragon Heart in the last race to grab the feature event. Favourite mare Voo Doo Doll settled for third, four-and-a-half lengths behind, while chestnut Moon Raker completed the frame.

In the third race, Samra Love presented owner-trainer Aslam Khan with a winner when he edged mare Silent Love by three-quarters-of-a-length in a close finish. Three favourites and a co-favourite obliged the punters in the remaining races.

Chestnut Desert Hawk made it two on trot posting six lengths victory over bay Rokara to land the opener.

Rider M. Wasim II completed a back-to-back double when he powered bay Daruwala to two length’s victory over The Choice Of The Day in the fourth race, his earlier winner being Samra Love.

With three good seconds under his belt, colt Reyan The Great overcame the jinx disposing-off filly Be Jamalo by four lengths. The race saw NYX, Sonia, With Interest, Swift Arrival and Hamza Joy heavily backed for win and place.

However, with the exception of Swift Arrival who finished fourth, others could not find a place as turf accountants had a field day at the expense of the public.

Co-favourite Eager Saint claimed the second race beating Hi Darling by two lengths.

In two contrasting moves, rider Ghous Bux was suspended for six months for ‘unsatisfactory’ riding his mount Moon Raker in the seventh race while the rider Shahzad Shahwani who allegedly pulled Mushki in the second was let-off without any fine.

The next Gymkhana race meeting will be held after Ashura on Jan 23.

Results:

THE TURKI PLATE DIV I CLASS VII 5F:

Desert Hawk (Mr. Mohammad Yousuf Choudry) 9-0 M. Nasir 1, Rokara 7-13 M. Nawaz Bilal 2, Khyber 8-9(cr8-2) A. Ahmed 3, Sharp Cat 8-12 Sohail Ahmed 4. Won by 6L, 1L, 8 1/2L. Time: One min 6 2/5 sec.

Winner trained by Abid Ali Jan.

THE TURKI PLATE DIV II CLASS VII 5F:

Eager Saint (Syed Sadruddin Shah)8-2 Lateef 1, Hi Darling 8-6(cr8-3) Ghous Bux 2, Al Zarrar 9-0 Mohammad Essa 3, Mushki 8-8(cr8-1) Shahzad Shahwani 4. Won by 2L, 3L, 4L. Time: One min 7 1/5 sec.

Winner trained by S. Ehtisham.

THE TURKI PLATE DIV V CLASS VII 5F:

Samra Love (Mr. M. Aslam Khan) 7-13(cr7-10) M. Wasim II, 1, Silent Love 7-13 Mohammad Essa 2, Sharpness 8-11 Dilber Khan 3, Fascinate 9-0(cr8-9) Ghous Bux 4. Won by 3/4L, 2 1/2L, 3L. Time: One min 9 1/5 sec.

Winner trained by owner.

THE TURKI PLATE DIV IV CLASS VII 5F:

Daruwala (Mr. Mohammad Yousuf Khan) 8-8(cr8-5) M. Wasim II, 1, The Choice Of The Day 8-8 Naseem Ahmed 2, Mixed Blessing 9-1 M. Yousuf 3, Native King 8-6 Ashiq Ali 4. Won by 2L, 4L, 2 1/2L. Time: One min 9 sec.

Winner trained by M. Aslam Khan.

THE TURKI PLATE DIV III CLASS VII 5F:

Reyan The Great (Mr. Reyan Ahmed) 9-1 Mohammad Essa 1, Be Jamalo 8-5(cr8-0) Ghous Bux 2, Sweet Grandy 7-13 Ashiq Ali II, 3, Swift Arrival 8-8 Waheed 4. Won by 4L, 5L, 2L. Time: One min 6 3/5 sec.

Winner trained by Ghulam Channa.

THE QUETTA PLATE CLASS VI 5F:

Dark Secret (Syed Ismail Shah) 9-0 Ghulam Shabbir II, 1, The Princess Arab 9-3 M. Yousuf 2, Sweetie Pie 8-8 Zaki Zakir 3, Leopard Of Arab 8-12 M. Nasir 4. Won by 1/2L, 1 1/4L, Head. Time: One min 7 sec.

Winner trained by S. Ehtisham.

THE SARHAD PLATE CLASS V DIV I AND II 5F:

Star Is Born (Miss Benish Hasan) 8-1 Waheed 1, Dragon Heart 8-10 Sohail Ahmed 2, Voo Doo Doll 8-13 Arshad 3, Moon Raker 8-8 Ghous Bux 4. Won by 10L, 4 1/2L, 5 1/2L. Time: one min 4 sec.

Winner trained by Ameer Ahmed.