KARACHI: Ace rider Mohammad Manzoor, who piloted home a treble, escaped serious injury as chestnut horse King’s Horse won The Spring Festival Cup by default as the former fell from his mount Sunrise in the home stretch at the Karachi Racecourse on Sunday.

After completing his treble, Manzoor was way ahead of King’s Hand in the Spring Festival Cup and was supposed to stretch his winning streak when after negotiating the bend he fell from favourite bay mare Sunrise, leaving King’s Hand posting maiden victory of the season.

Ridden by Manzoor’s sibling Mohammad Sajjad, King’s Hand galloped to a six-length victory over Fantastic Game for the honours.

Filly Popular Song was placed third, beaten by a distance, while another filly Cherish completed the frame after the field was reduced to seven following the withdrawal of Popular Prince from the race.

Sunrise, who fractured one of his legs, was destroyed by the KRC staff after the race.

Miraculously, Manzoor was back in action during the fifth race in which he steered Doctor to a second-place finish.

Earlier, the KRC replaced the fourth race with the Spring Festival Cup after the publication of the guide book.

At the outset, the first three races revolved around Manzoor who came up his with his second successive treble in the month.

First he guided favourite unknown pedigree bay horse Sayeen Jee to a splendid 12 lengths victory over dark bay horse Blind Show to land the opener. Salam Kashmir and Sweet Sereena followed the two in same order among eight starters.

Riding on the crest of a wave, he upset the applecart partnering mare Blue Fairy to an eight-length victory as co-favourite pair of Galaxy and New Hope seized second and third places. Sonia Again completed the frame.

The rider went on to complete his treble when he piloted favourite mare Tanya to seven lengths victory over Sher Khan in the third race.

Owned by Sibghatullah Shah Pir Pagara, Tanya completed her hat-trick.

Fancied eight-year-old chestnut horse Gold Horse obliged all and sundry while galloping to two lengths victory over bay horse Doctor to win the fifth race which was also feature event.

Trainer Mohyuddin shone with a double (Tanya and King’s Hand).

Results:

THE KHAIRPUR PLATE SCALE ORDER VIII 4½ F:

Sayeen Jee (Zia-ur-Rehman) 9-2, Mohammad Manzoor 1; Blind Show 8-9, Waheed Baran 2; Salam Kashmir 8-4, Sohail Ahmed 3; Sweet Sereena 8-2 (cr8-6), Pervez Ali 4.

Won by 12 L, 1½ L, 2 L. Time: 0.57 3/5 seconds. Winner trained by owner.

THE KHAIRPUR PLATE SCALE ORDER VI AND VII 5 F:

Blue Fairy (Ather Abbas) 8-11, Mohammad Manzoor 1; Galaxy 8-7, Sohail Ahmed 2; New Hope 8-6, Nazil Hussain 3; Sonia Again 8-10 (cr8-5), Nazil Hussain 4.

Won by 8 L, 7 L, 4½ L. Time: One minute 5 1/5 seconds. Winner trained by Ghulam Shabbir II.

THE KHAIRPUR PLATE SCALE ORDER V AND VI 5 F:

Tanya (Syed Sibghatullah Shah Pir Pagara) 8-4, Mohammad Manzoor 1; Sher Khan 8-11 (cr8-13), Mohammad Nasir 2; Ayaash 8-3, Zaki Zakir 3; Almeer 9-0 (cr8-7), Zohaib Qamar 4.

Won by 7 L, 2 L, 8 L. Time: One minute 5 2/5 seconds. Winner trained by Mohyuddin.

SPRING FESTIVAL CUP SCALE ORDER III AND IV 5 F:

King’s Hand (Kamran Khan Tessori) 8-10, Mohammad Sajjad 1; Fantastic Game 8-11, Ghulam Shabbir II 2; Popular Song 7-10, Zaki Zakir 3; Cherish 9-0, Faisal Qamar 4.

Won by 6 L, Dist, 1¼ L. Time: One minute 7 1/5 seconds. Winner trained by Mohyuddin.

THE KHAIRPUR PLATE SCALE ORDER I AND II 5 F:

Gold Horse (Haji Sahib Jan) 10-0, Waheed Baran 1; Doctor 10-0, Mohammad Manzoor 2; Follow My Shadow 7-12, Kashif Qamar 3; Lacoste 8-3, Mohammad Sajjad 4.

Won by 2 L, 7 ½ L, ½ L. Time: One minute 4 2/5 seconds. Winner trained by Mohammad Ramzan Bux.

Published in Dawn, March 20th, 2017