KARACHI: Three favourites and a second favourite obliged horse-racing fraternity in the Gymkhana race meeting that was marred by re-betting at the Karachi Racecourse on Sunday.

Unknown bay horse Rana The Great opened his account while galloping to a facile four-and-a-half lengths victory over mare Beautiful Rose to land the opener.

Colt My One was placed third two lengths behind while chestnut horse Fair Play completed the board six lengths away. The field was reduced to five horses following withdrawal of Raftar.

Second favourite unknown pedigree bay filly Jugni G lowered the colours of fancied colt Achieve­ment in the next race to post victory after a six-month layoff.

Jugni G become favourite when re-betting was ordered after public fancy Duran Duran was scratched as he ran off after throwing rider Essa from his back while going towards the starting gate reducing the field to six horses.

Jugni G overcome Achievement by one and three-quarter-of-a-length for the honours as Kalu Khan and Sultan followed the two horses in same order.

The 60 to 100 favourite five-year-old dark bay horse Tejori obliged all and sundry while edging bay horse Follow My Shadow by three-quarter-of-a-length to claim the third race.

Loot Lo was withdrawn before the race leaving six horses in fray.

Rider-cum-trainer Ghulam Shabbir II guided bay filly Neem Tree to a fluent five lengths victory to win honours in the fourth race which was also the days feature event. Shabbir succeeded Essa on Neem Tree.

King Of Clifton had to be content with third place one-and-a-half lengths away while Miss Oscar completed the frame four-and-a-half lengths behind.

Half-a-dozen horses faced the starter at the starting gate following withdrawal of Something Royal before the race.

Results:

THE AZAD PLATE SCALE ORDER VIII 4½ F:

Rana The Great (Zia-ur-Rehman) 8-8, M. Manzoor 1; Beautiful Rose 9-0, (cr8-9), Mohammad Qais 2; My One 8-11, Wasim 3; Fair Play 8-8 (cr8-5), Nazil Hussain 4. Won by 4½ L, 2 L, 6 L. Time: One minute 1 second. Winner trained by owner.

THE AZAD PLATE SCALE ORDER VIII 4½ F:

Jugni G (M.R. Hussain) 8-9, M. Amjad 1; Achievement 9-0, Sohail Ahmed 2; Kalu Khan 8-9 (cr8-4), Abdul Hakeem 3; Sultan 8-9, M. Sajjad 4. Won by 1¾ L, 5½ L, 8½ L. Time: One minute 2 2/5 seconds. Winner trained by S.A. Zaidi.

THE AZAD PLATE SCALE ORDER VI, VII AND VIII 4½ F:

Tejori (M. Zaid Khan Tessori) 9-0, Wasim 1; Follow My Shadow 8-9, (cr8-6), Nazil Hussain 2; Sonia Again 9-1, Abdul Hakeem 3; Sea Gold 8-0, Sohail Ahmed 4. Won by ¾ L, 3½ L, 12 L. Time: 0.59 1/5 seconds. Winner trained by M. Hanif.

THE AZAD PLATE SCALE ORDER I, II, III AND IV 4½ F:

Neem Tree (P.K. Ahuja) 10-0, Ghulam Shabbir II 1; Rainbow 8-11, M. Sajjad 2; King Of Clifton 8-5, Sohail Ahmed 3; Miss Oscar 7-12, M. Manzoor 4. Won by 5 L, 1½ L, 4½ L. Time: 0.57 4/5 seconds. Winner trained by Nazir.

Published in Dawn, August 22nd, 2016