KARACHI: Outsider five-year-old bay horse Rustam, formerly Minister of Bhakkar, sprang a major shock while upsetting the favourite chestnut horse Olympus to land the Sonic Cup in the Gymkhana race meeting at the Karachi Racecourse on Saturday.

Rustam, who was withdrawn on technical ground during the last weekend meeting, presented the pair of new owners with their maiden victory.

He edged fancied Olympus by a length-and-a-half with senior rider Mohammad Nasir astride.

Filly My Beauty was placed third two lengths behind while mare Tanya completed the frame four lengths, a further away among six horses after Sweet Lady was withdrawn before the race.

At the outset, the KRC stewards cancelled the first race for want of competition after being run.

Sweet One had won the race by getting the better of favourite Day Breaker as Delta Queen and Achievement occupied third and fourth places, respectively on the board.

Zareen was withdrawn before the race to leave just five horses in fray.

Favourite bay mare Zarnatta obliged all and sundry by getting the better of mare Duran Duran by five lengths to pick up spoils in the second race.

Mare Sea Gold had to be content with third place, half-a-length behind pushing bay horse Happy Go Lucky to fourth among six horses.

Four-year-old bay filly Swarovski justified her billing by galloping to a two-and-a-half lengths victory over Don Again to claim the fourth and the last race.

Don Again opened favourite but later odds of Swarovski surged. Jawwad Love and Satisfy followed the top two in the same order.

Trainer Zia-ur-Rehman sent two winners in Zarnatta and Rustam.

Results:

THE SONIC PLATE SCALE ORDER VI AND VII 4½ F:

Zarnatta (Zia-ur-Rehman) 8-13, Waheed Baran 1; Duran Duran 8-1, Zohaib Qamar 2; Sea Gold 8-4, Wasim 3; Happy Go Lucky 8-1, Ghous Bux 4.

Won by 5 L, ½ L, 3 L. Time: 0.58 4/5 seconds. Winner trained by owner.

THE SONIC CUP SCALE ORDER I, II AND III 4½ F:

Rustam (S.M. Raza and Ali Raza) 9-7, Mohammad Nasir 1; Olympus 10-0, Ghous Bux 2; My Beauty 7-11 (cr7-13), Waheed Baran 3; Tanya 10-0, Mohammad Sajjad 4.

Won by 1½ L, 2 L, 4 L. Time: 0.56 3/5 seconds. Winner trained by Zia-ur-Rehman.

THE SONIC PLATE SCALE ORDER IV AND V 4½ F:

Swarovski (Syed Ismail Shah) 8-12, Ghulam Shabbir II 1; Don Again 8-5, Waheed Baran 2; Jawwad Love 9-4, Mohammad Manzoor 3; Satisfy 7-5, Zaki Zakir 4.

Won by 2½ L, Dist, ½ L. Time: 0.58 3/5 seconds. Winner trained by Ghulam Shabbir II.

Published in Dawn, October 22nd, 2017

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