KARACHI: Rider Riaz Ahmed piloted home a brace of winners as four favourites and a second favourite returned with flying colours in the Gymkhana race meeting at the Karachi Racecourse here on Sunday.

Riaz, who is lagging behind on the riders’ performance chart this season with four wins, had lady luck smiling on him in the first and third races that helped him raise his winning tally to six.

The rider struck in the first race by galloping fancied chestnut filly Sonia Again home to a four-length victory to make amends for the previous week’s loss when she was beaten into second place by Soldier King.

Owned and trained by M. Tufail, Sonia Again got the better of filly Princess Chakwal for the honour. Mare Beautiful Rose was placed third seven lengths away while filly Nany completed the frame three lengths further away among seven starters.

Riaz went on to complete a double by partnering another favourite bay horse Shahzad Love to two lengths victory over colt Tejori in the third race. Lucky Lyna and Bang Bang followed the two on board in a field of five horses.

Filly Fly Free made it two wins on the trot while imposing to a length and-a-half victory over filly Khazana to pick up spoils in the second race.

Bay colt Karobar whose winning streak was interrupted by Wait A Second on Nov 9, presented a winner to its owner Syed Sibghatullah Shah Pir Pagara edging bay horse Business Man by distance.

In a neck-and-neck race colt Cigar settled third beaten by distance while colt Current Account was placed fourth further beaten by neck.

Second favourite filly Sensational with Zaki Zakir astride, turn the tables on favourite Gold Horse with a three-length win to claim honours in the fifth and concluding race.

Results: THE NOVEMBER PLATE SCALE ORDER VIII-UK 4 F:

Sonia Again (M. Tufail) 8-9, Riaz Ahmed 1; Princess Chakwal 9-2, Abdul Hakeem 2; Beautiful Rose 8-13, A. Qayyum 3; Nany 8-0, Faizan Ali 4. Won by 4 L, 7 L, 3 L. Tim: 0.54 2/5 seconds. Winner trained by owner.

THE NOVEMBER PLATE SCALE ORDER V, VI AND VII 4 F:

Fly Free (Karim Bux) 8-0, Sohail Ahmed 1; Khazana 8-1, Zubair Ahmed 2; Eager Saint 7-9, M. Sajjad 3; Strawberry Star 9-2, Nazil Hussain 4. Won by 1½ L, distance, 2½ L. Time: 0.54 2/5 seconds. Winner trained by M. Rafiq K.

THE NOVEMBER PLATE SCALE ORDER V AND VI 4 F:

Shahzad Love (Mir Khan) 8-5, Riaz Ahmed 1; Tejori 9-2, Zubair Ahmed 2; Lucky Lyna 8-9, Wasim 3; Bang Bang 8-7, Pervez Ali 4. Won by 2 L, 2 L, 4 L. Time: 0.53 2/5 seconds. Winner trained by Zia-ur-Rehman.

THE NOVEMBER PLATE SCALE ORDER IV AND V ROUND BEND 5 ½ F:

Karobar (Syed Sibghatullah Shah Pir Pagara) 8-2, Pervez Ali 1; Business Man 8-12, Riaz Ahmed 2; Cigar 8-10, Sohail Ahmed 3; Current Account 8-1, Zubair Ahmed 4. Won by Distance, distance, neck. Time: One minute 13 4/5 seconds. Winner trained by Mohyuddin.

THE NOVEMBER PLATE SCALE ORDER I AND II ROUND BEND 5 ½ F:

Sensational (P.K. Ahuja) 7-4, Zaki Zakir 1; Gold Horse 9-2, Zubair Ahmed 2; National Queen 8-4, Pervez Ali 3; Janab Sahab 8-6, Faisal Qamar 4. Won by 3 L, 1½ L, 7 L. Time: One minute 12 1/5 seconds. Winner trained by M. Mazhar.

Published in Dawn, November 17th, 2014