KARACHI, Sept 28: The colours of Shah Mardan Shah II Pir Pagaro VII passed the winning post twice but in controversial manner at the Karachi races held on Sunday today at the local turf.

The fifth race on the card, a term race for two-year-olds was won by Dil Phaink after the form horse, Eye Sore the public fancy was backed at 40 to 100 on in the betting ring but Dil Phaink was backed down from four to one to odds on favourite by the stable connection while the price of Eye Sore swelled to two one. It was a real eye sore for the racegoers as the followers of form were taken for a ride which they never deserved. It was just mockery of racing.

The racegoers raised slogans and demanded cancellation of the race as they sensed foul play but it fell on the deaf ears of the people sitting in the glass house and Dill Phaink won in the last couple of strides as Eye Sore waited for the stable fancy to gain ground. In the act, Shahzad, the favourite of Chairman of the Club, Mr Yousuf Dada was seen practically strangulating his charge Fantastic Love in the last furlong when the colt was moving fluently and was on the quarters of front runner, Eye Sore. It gave a look of a boat race. Eye Sore would have won hands down if he would have had the blessings of the stable.

As if it was not enough, in the concluding event of the day the story was repeated when Shah Mardan Shah II Pir Pagaro’s stable had three entries in Hoor-i-Mehran, Lady’s Love and Love U Lady. The last named opened a 40 to 100 on favourite on her last run but after a while the stable connection heavily backed Lady’s Love from five to two to half money. The racegoers once again started agitating. This time better sense prevailed on the people sitting in the glass house who ordered re-betting which saved the follower of form from burning their fingers who saved their money and Lady’s Love won from start to finish followed by stable mate Love U Lady while Hoor-e-Mehran completed the frame.

In between these two races, the racegoers had the shock of their life when Roberto Carlos Fan won the seventh race and the numbers went up the board, the riders completed the weigh in and the official timing was displayed but the stewards cancelled the race on the plea that the race was run under false start.

Nowhere in the world once the weigh in is done and the timing is displayed a race is cancelled. If there was a false start it was the duty of the starter to signal Red Flag which is picked up by the stipendiary Steward or the people in official car who show Red Flag and move ahead of the field and they continue it displaying till the finish. Nothing of the sort was done which meant that the race was run fair and square.

The reason why the race was cancelled was that Mickey Mikado II ridden by Shahzad, the blue eyed boy of the Chairman was astride Mickey Mikado who was installed first favourite and was heading the field till few yards from the winning post where he was nosed out by Roberto Carlos Fan who came the farthest way on the outside. The people in the glass house kept quiet as long Micky Mikado was in the winning position but once he was beaten they took the plea of foul start and saved their money. It was a most disgraceful act of the stewards who are holding to their office illegally as their term expired on August 31 and they have not announced fresh dates for unknown reasons.

One hoped that the presence of Pir Pagaro, a respected political figure of the province will improve racing in Karachi but one cannot see any improvement unless fresh elections are held and new faces take control of the things.

Earlier in the day the steward cancelled the fourth race without any reason.

Next gymkhana races will be held on Wednesday

The following are the results:

Karachi Plate DIV G IV - abt 5 F

Bye Bye (Mr Manzoor Ali) 8-7 Riaz Mohammad 1, Clever Cat 9-0 Muzaffar H2, Prism of Life 8-12 Mian Khan 3, Classic Beauty 8-8 Shafi Mohammad 4.

Won By: 4-1/2 L, 2-1/2 L, 6 L. Time 1 Min 12-1/5 secs. Winner trained by Irfan.

Karachi Plate DIV G II - abt 5 F

Pehalwan Choice (Mr Saeed Ahmed) 8-12 Tariq Baran 1, Sonia 8-2 M. Barani 2, Ceaser’s Palace 8-2, M. Yousuf 3, Yaqoob Choice 9-3, Murad Ali 4.

Won By: 3/4 L, Sh-HD, 6 L. Time 1 Min 8-3/5 secs. Winner trained by Shahjehan.

Karachi Plate DIV G I - abt 5F

Join The Millennium (Mr M. Ateeq) 8-12 Mujahid Ali 1, Auzy 8-12, Nadir Abdullah 2, Sweet Grandy 9-0, Pervaiz Ali 3, Sarafan 9-0, Tariq Baran 4.

Won by: Sh-Hd, 7 L, 4-1/2 L. Time 1 Min 9-3/5 secs. Winner trained by Mohammad Rasheed. Karachi Plate DIV VII-B - abt 5F

Race cancelled

Karachi Plate

(A term race for 2 - year-old)

Dil Phaink (Shah Mardan Shah II Pir Pagaro VII) 8-11, Sher Mohammad 1, Fantastic Love 8-4, Shahzad 2, Eye Sore 8-11, Ghulam Shabbir 3, Vieto 8-11, M. Faiz 4.

Won By: 1/2 L, 1/2 L, 8 L. Time 1 Min 10-1/5 secs. Winner trained by Mumtaz Ali.

Karachi Plate DIV VII - A - abt 5F

On Song (Mr Islamuddin) 8-4, M. Barani 1, Sherganzer 7-13, M. Latif 2, Wonderful Peace 9-0, M. Faiz 3, Miss Oozi 8-12, Salim Ahmad 4.

Won By: 1/2 L,6 L, 5-3/4 L. Time 1 Min 8-3/5 secs. Winner trained by Moheyuddin.

Karachi Plate DIV VI - abt 6 F

Declared null and void.

Karachi Plate DIV IV & V - abt 6F

Lady’s Love (Shah Mardan Shah II Pir Pagaro VII) 9-0, Sher Mohammad 1, Love U Lady 8-4, Ghulam Shabbir 2, Visitor 9-6, M. Barani 3, Hoor-e-Mehran 9-3, M. Manzoor 4.

Won By: 2-1/2 L, 6-1/2 L, 2-1/2 L. Time 1 Min 20-2/5 secs. Winner trained by Mumtaz Ali.