KARACHI: Having already won the Independence Day Cup last month, favourite four-year-old dark bay filly English Vinglish added another feather to her cap while capturing the Defence Day Cup in the Gymkhana race meeting at the Karachi Racecourse on Saturday.

The 60 to 100 favourite horse which was eager to oblige all and sundry burst into the lead soon after start and won hands down by six-and-a-half length over chestnut horse Olympus.

Mare Lovely Baby grabbed third place half-a-length behind while bay horse Minister Of Bhakkar completed the board further two lengths away among eight starters.

Owned by Syed Sibghatullah Shah Pir Pagara and trained by Mohyuddin, the victorious filly was ridden home by its regular rider Mohammad Sajjad who celebrated the day with a back-to-back double.

In the next race, Sajjad piloted dark bay mare Sweet Lady home when she edged co-favourite chestnut horse Don Again by neck in the closely fought race.

Filly My Beauty presented new owner Mohammad Yameen with the third place beaten by two lengths with mare New Hope occupying the fourth place on board four lengths away.

At the outset, outsiders reigned supreme in the first two races of the day’s programme.

Unknown pedigree bay mare Duran Duran atoned for earlier losses after edging mare Zarnatta by a head to land the opening race.

Similarly, chestnut horse Race also made amends by getting better of The Champion by head to clinch the next race.

Daughters of Pir Pagara Bibi Fatima and Bibi Wafa received the glittering cup on behalf of their father from the KRC steward Irfan Mehdi at the presentation in the paddock.

KRC secretary Syed Ali Akbar Shah Rashdi was also present on the occasion.

Meanwhile, the next Gymkhana race meeting will be held on Saturday (Sept 16).

Results:

THE DEFENCE DAY PLATE SCALE ORDER VIII 4½ F:

Duran Duran (S.M. Wasi Zaidi) 8-6 (cr8-3), Shahzad Gul 1; Zarnatta 8-4, Mohammad Manzoor 2; Lapait Lo 9-4 (cr8-11), Ali Raza II 3; Winter 8-11, Sohail Ahmed 4.

Won by Head, 9 L, Distance. Time: One minute one second. Winner trained by Sullah.

THE DEFENCE DAY PLATE SCALE ORDER VII 4½ F:

Race (Aziz-ul-Haq Rana) 8-6, Waheed Baran 1; The Champion 8-8, Sohail Ahmed 2; Salam Kashmir 8-7, Zaki Zakir 3; Afreen 8-9, Mohammad Sajjad 4.

Won by Head, 2 L, ¾ L. Time: One minute 0 3/5 seconds. Winner trained by Rana Aurangzeb.

THE DEFENCE DAY CUP SCALE ORDER I, II AND III 5 F:

English Vinglish (Syed Sibghatullah Shah Pir Pagara) 8-8, Mohammad Sajjad 1; Olympus 8-12, Mohammad Qais 2; Lovely Baby 7-6, Zaki Zakir 3; Minister of Bhakkar 8-11, Mohammad Manzoor 4.

Won by 6½ L, ½ L, 2 L. Time: One minute 3 seconds. Winner trained by Mohyuddin.

THE DEFENCE DAY PLATE SCALE ORDER IV, V AND VI 5 F:

Sweet Lady (Jawwad Sattar) 8-11, Mohammad Sajjad 1; Don Again 7-12, Waheed Baran 2; My Beauty 9-0, Mohammad Manzoor 3; New Hope 7-12, Mohammad Qais 4.

Won by Neck, 2 L, 4 L. Time: One minute 4 2/5 seconds. Winner trained by Ghulam Shabbir II.

Published in Dawn, September 10th, 2017