April 28, 2008	Monday	Rabi-us-Sani 21, 1429

KARACHI, April 27: The combination of father-son-grandson ruled with a three-in-a-row, as public fancy three-year-old bay filly Claim To Fame justified her claim by landing The HFK Group Of Company Cup in the Gymkhana race meeting at the Karachi Racecourse on Sunday.

Things became favourable when second favourite colt Tube Jee presented owner Shah Mardan Shah Pir Pagara with a winner in the sixth race. He outpaced bay Khan Jee by two lengths to interrupt his winning streak.

Trained by Allah Judrio, Tube Jee was piloted home by experienced rider Mohammad Essa, after favourite colt Spirit Of Arab was withdrawn, in addition to Leading Of Arab and Bullet Of Arab.

Bay Mannan Prince and mare Hi Darling completed the frame in the same order.

In the next, refreshed three-year-old bay filly Claim To Fame added another feather to her cap when she galloped to a facile six-length victory over The Ghazan Prince to win The HFK Group Of Company Cup in style.

Claim To Fame had already won the AKD Nursery Cup in her last appearance on Dec 25.

Filly Sahibzadi finished half-a-length behind to secure third place while Awan completed the board as the field was reduced to four following withdrawals of Lion Of Arab and Arab Hi Arab.

Claim To Fame belonged to the stables of Syed Sadruddin Shah, chairman of the KRC and the son of Pir Pagara.

Favourite four-year-old filly Diamond In Dust completed the rout when she edged mare Closing Argument by distance in a closely fought battle in the eighth and concluding race.

The filly is owned by Syed Ismail Shah, son of Sadruddin Shah.

The triumph enabled champion rider Ghulam Shabbir II to complete a back-to-back double (Claim To Fame and Diamond In Dust).

Earlier, four-year-old dark bay filly Bacaradi created quite a stir when she toppled favourite mare Blind Date by four-and-a-half lengths to pick up the fifth race. She was ridden home by apprentice rider A. Rashid.

The first three races saw a favourite and two joint favourites winning honours.

Favourite mare Royal Loyalty lived up to her billing when she registered six-and-a-half lengths victory over bay Captain Cook in the opening race.

Co-favourite filly Chun Chun Chun chalked up her maiden win when she got past colt Walayat by five lengths in the next.

Similarly, chestnut Hamza Joy overcame joint favourite Lucky Gem by seven lengths to win the third race which resulted in few punishments to the riders.

The fourth race of the day’s programme was cancelled after it was run.

Trainer M. Rafik K sent a brace of winners in Chun Chun Chun and Diamnond In Dust.

Results:

THE SHIPPERS PLATE DIV V-B CLASS VII 5F:

Royal Loyalty (Syed Konain Mohammad Shah) 8-9, S. Khan 1; Captain Cook 8-8 (cr8-1), Rehan Ahmed 2; Make Millions 9-0, Arshad 3; Ganga 8-8, Lateef 4. Won by 6 1/2L, 3L, 2 1/2L. Time: One min 8 2/5 sec. Winner trained by Talib Hussain.

THE SHIPPERS PLATE DIV V-A CLASS VII 5F:

Chun Chun Chun (Benish Hasan) 8-5 (cr7-12), M. Naeem 1; Walayat 7-10, S. Khan 2; Marista 9-0 (cr8-7), Zaheer Ahmed 3; Little Girl 8-4 (cr8-6), Arshad 4.

Won by 5L, 2L, 1 1/2L. Time: One min 7 sec. Winner trained by M. Rafik K.

THE SHIPPERS PLATE DIV IV CLASS VII 5F:

Hamza Joy (S.M. Wasi Zaidi) 8-8 (cr8-1), Rehan Ahmed 1; Lucky Gem 8-13, Nadeem Akhtar 2; Taneez 8-8 (cr8-5), Wasim 3; Sweet Grandy 8-13 (cr8-6), Ashiq Ali II, 4.

Won by 7L, 14L, 3L. Time: One min 6 sec. Winner trained by S. A. Zaidi.

THE SHIPPERS PLATE DIV II CLASS VII 5F:

Bacaradi (Shahbaz Younus) 9-1, A. Rashid 1; Blind Date 9-4, Ghulam Shabbir II 2; Dandy Boy 7-10, Fahim K 3; Mushki 8-1 (cr8-5), Mumtaz Ali 4.

Won by 4 1/2L, 4 1/2L, 11L. Time: One min 4 2/5 sec. Winner trained by Taj Mohammad.

THE SHIPPERS PLATE DIV I CLASS VII 5F:

Tube Jee (Shah Mardan Shah Pir Pagara) 9-4, Mohammad Essa 1; Khan Jee 9-0 (cr8-7), M. Naeem 2; Mannan Prince 8-4, Nasim 3; Hi Darling 8-4 (cr8-6), Mumtaz Ali 4.

Won by 2L, 8L, 4L. Time: One min 3 4/5 sec. Winner trained by Allah Judrio.

THE HFK GROUP OF COMPANY CUP CLASS V DIV I AND II 6F:

Claim To Fame (Syed Sadruddin Shah) 9-0, Ghulam Shabbir II 1; The Ghazan Prince 8-3, Arshad 2; Sahibzadi 8-8, Fahim K 3; Awan 7-8, Asghar Ali 4.

Won by 6L, 1/2L, 14L. Time: One min 19 2/5 sec. Winner trained by S. Ehtisham.

THE BOOM BOOM PLATE CLASS VI 6F:

Diamond In Dust (Syed Ismail Shah) 9-2, Ghulam Shabbir II 1; Closing Argument 7-13, Mohammad Essa 2; Lady Conqueror 7-12, Sohail Ahmed 3; Blind Love 8-1, A. Ahmed 4.

Won by Dist, 5 1/2L, Dist. Time: One min 18 1/5 sec. Winner trained by M. Rafik K.