KARACHI: Riders M. Naeem and Mohammad Essa shone in the saddle as they swept the five-race card of the Gymkhana race meeting at the Karachi Racecourse on Sunday.

The former partnered a treble — his first of the sea son — to take his winning tally to eight while the latter piloted home a splendid double as all but one favourite obliged punters.

Naeem’s feat started from the second race when he galloped outsider bay colt Touching Wood home by a length-and-a-quarter in the second race by getting the better of colt Sher Dil. The 30 to 100 favourite bay horse Grey Song, ridden by Essa, had to be content with third place ahead of Pampas Grass among six starters.

Fresh from his triumph, he steered fancied chestnut colt Golden Rose to a fluent six-length victory in the next that enabled winning horse to make it three victories on the trot.

The previous two wins were under different riders namely Shahzad Gul and Abdul Hakeem. Golden Horse prevailed over mare Money Penny for the honours.

Riding on the crest of a wave, Naeem completed his treble when fancied bay colt Touching Wood beat filly Jal Pari in a start-to-finish bid as he pleased by 10 lengths for repeat performance in the fifth and concluding race.

At the outset, Essa claimed the opener guiding bay horse Lucky Lyna to half-a-length victory over co-favourite filly Khazana Again he sprinted four-year-old bay filly Amazing One to an exciting six lengths victory over Black Rose in the fourth to complete the double.

Touching Wood and Touching Star belonged to the stables of baby Zainab and trained by M. Shahzad. Trainer Sher Mohammad also had two winners in Lucky Lyna and Amazing One.

Results:

THE STAR PLATE SCALE ORDER VII AND VIII - UK 4 1/2 F:

Lucky Lyna (Sher Mohammad) 8-7, Mohammad Essa 1; Khazana 8-1, Wasim 2; Jugni G 9-4, Ashiq Ali 3; Golden Gold 9-3 (cr8-10), Hakim Ali 4.

Won by ½ L, 2¼ L, ¾ L. Time: One minute one 1/5 seconds. Winner trained by owner.

THE STAR PLATE SCALE ORDER VII 5 F:

Touching Wood (Zainab) 9-0, M. Naeem 1; Sher Dil 8-12 (cr8-5), Hakim Ali 2; Grey Song 8-9, Mohammad Essa 3; Pampas Grass 8-2, M. Arif 4.

Won by 1¼ L, 5 L, 5½ L. Time: One minute 7 2/5 seconds. Winner trained by M. Shahzad.

THE STAR PLATE SCALE ORDER V AND VI 5 F:

Golden Rose (Mohammad Siddique) 8-2 (cr8-5), M. Naeem 1; Money Penny 8-8, Yousuf Ikram 2; Gumnam 8-3, Wasim 3; Black Stone 8-10 (cr8-4), Hakim Ali 4.

Won by 6 L, 5 L, 3 L. Time: One minute 5 2/5 seconds. Winner trained by M. Usman.

THE STAR PLATE SCALE ORDER I AND II 5 F:

Amazing One (Zaid Rahim) 7-10 (cr7-12), Mohammad Essa 1; Black Rose 9-5, M. Manzoor 2; All The Way 8-0, Wasim 3; Camelot 8-7, Farjad Habib 4.

Won by 6 L, Distance, 1/2 L. Time: One minute 4 2/5 seconds. Winner trained by Sher Mohammad.

THE STAR PLATE SCALE ORDER III AND IV 5 F:

Touching Star (Baby Zainab) 8-4, M. Naeem 1; Jal Pari 8-2 (cr7-13), Abdul Hakim 2; Golden Touch 8-0, Farjad Habib 3; Shan-e-Mukadar 9-2, Mohammad Essa 4.

Won by 10 L, 4½ L, Neck. Time: One minute 5 seconds. Winner trained by M. Shahzad.