KARACHI: Favourite six-year-old bay horse Janab Sahab obliged his owner and punters alike while capturing The Eid Milan Cup as four public fancy horses and a second favourite swept the card in the Gymkhana race meeting at the Karachi Racecourse on Sunday.

Owner Pir Pagara, who was present on the occasion, watched Janab Sahab gallop to a fluent seven lengths victory over colt Touching Star in the fourth race, which was also the feature event.

Ably ridden by rider Wasim and trained by Mohyuddin, the winning horse clocked one minute 17 2/5 seconds for the six furlongs race.

Bay horse Shan-e-Sindh finished third five lengths away while dark bay horse Macho Man completed the frame among nine starters finishing further two-and-a-half lengths behind.

Colt Cash The Cheque had withdrawn earlier while colt Hotman, which was opened co-favourite with Janab Sahab when the betting commenced, was scratched at the starting gate after being learnt that he was not on the job that followed re-betting.

At the outset, public fancy filly Wait A Minute secured a career’s maiden triumph in the opener by getting the better of filly Fly Free by three lengths.

Mare Meri Sahiba and colt Star Gold had to be content with the next two places on the board respectively.

Another favourite that obliged all and sundry was bay horse Business Man, who meant business by making two wins on the trot by imposing to half-a-length success over mare Gumnam in the second race.

Rider M. Naeem, who partnered second-placed Fly Free in the earlier race, piloted Business Man home.

Ace rider Mohammad Essa caught the eye with a splendid double. First, he guided colt Saphire to a magnificent nine-length win over filly Tasniya in the third race and then piloted second favourite colt Gold City home to a two lengths and-a-half over victory over first favourite filly Loyal Lady in the fifth.

Results: THE EID MILAN PLATE SCALE ORDER VIII-UK 5 F:

Wait A Minute (Nannad Kumar) 8-11, M. Sajjad 1; Fly Free 8-12, M. Naeem 2; Meri Sahiba 8-6, Mohammad Essa 3; Star Gold 8-4, Ashiq Ali 4.

Won by 3 L, 5 L, 2 L. Time: One minute 7 3/5 seconds. Winner trained by M. Rafiq K.

THE EID MILAN PLATE SCALE ORDER VI AND VII 5 F:

Business Man (Mir Khan) 9-0, M. Naeem 1; Gumnam 9-0, Wasim 2; Lucky Lyna 8-10 (cr8-7), A. Qayyum 3; Capri 8-13, Ashiq Ali 4.

Won by ½ L, 4 L, 3½ L. Time: One minute 8 3/5 seconds. Winner trained by Zia-ur-Rehman.

THE EID MILAN PLATE SCALE ORDER IV 5 F:

Saphire (Zaid Rahim) 9-0, Mohammad Essa 1; Tasniya 7-12 (cr8-2), Ghulam Shabbir II 2; Sherzad 7-12, Wasim 3; Great Man 7-10 (cr7-13), A. Qayyum 4.

Won by 9 L, 11 L, 4¼ L. Time: One minute 4 1/5 seconds. Winner trained by Sher Mohammad.

THE EID MILAN CUP SCALE ORDER I AND II 6 F:

Janab Sahab (Syed Sibgatullah Shah Pir Pagara) 7-13, Wasim 1; Touching Star 8-7, M. Naeem 2; Shan-e-Sindh 9-2, Mohammad Essa 3; Macho Man 11-2, Yousuf Ikram 4.

Won by 7 L, 5 L, 2½ L. Time: One minute 17 2/5 seconds. Winner trained by Mohyuddin.

THE EID MILAN PLATE SCALE ORDER II AND III 5 F:

Gold City (Haji Khuda Bux Rajar) 9-0, Mohammad Essa 1; Loyal Lady 9-0, Wasim 2; Jal Pari 8-9, Zaki Zakir 3; Hello Cuttie 8-13, Pervez Ali 4.

Won by 2½ L, 11 L, 7 L. Time: One minute 5 4/5 seconds. Winner trained by Ali Gul.

Published in Dawn, August 4th, 2014