KARACHI: With Shah Mardan Shah Pir Pagara VII Memorial Cup under his belt, favourite four-year-old bay colt Big Bravo lifted the Quaid-i-Azam Trial Cup as favourites and co-favourites swept the six-race card in the winter Gymkhana race meeting at the Karachi Racecourse on Saturday.

Big Bravo, also a Derby winner earlier this year, lived up to the top billing reposed in him by getting the better of debutant four-year-old bay colt Big Bash by a length-and-a-quarter to make it two victories on the trot. He clocked one minute 43 2/5 seconds for the gruelling one mile contest.

It is pertinent to mention that Big Bravo had breezed past Big Bash in the Derby also.

Big Bravo and Big Bash are born to the same Sire — Dunhil Star but with different mares.

Four-year-old dark bay filly English Vinglish, who led most part of the race before being overtaken in home stretch, finished third five lengths behind while Rustam completed the frame further four length away among six horses.

The victorious horse was ridden by Lah­ore’s Aftab Chaudhry, who completed a double having rode dark bay horse Mera Aftaab, who prevailed over Race by three lengths in second race.

At the outset, mare Winter won the opening race by getting the better of Wood Pecker by three lengths-and-a-quarter as co-favourite Second Life settled third ahead of Jugni G.

The success of Lady’s Secret and Show Stopper in the third and fourth races earned owner Syed Ismail Shah and trainer Ghulam Shabbir II with a double apiece.

Favourite Lady’s Secret beat Afreen by four lengths while favourite Show Stopper was home by seven lengths. Shan-e-Kaif ran away from the starting gate and was withdrawn from the fourth race that led to re-betting.

Olympus edged co-favourite Tanya by a length to land the sixth and last race.

Meanwhile, the next race will be held on Saturday (Dec 16).

Results:

THE KINGREE PLATE SCALE ORDER VIII 4½ F:

Winter (Zainab Ali and Aariz Nawaz) 8-4, Mohammad Amjad 1; Wood Pecker 8-10, Ghous Bux 2; Second Life 8-8, Mohammad Sajjad 3; Jugni G 8-10, Sohail Ahmed 4.

Won by 3¼ L, 8 L, 4 L. Time: One minute 0 3/5 seconds. Winner trained by Mohammad Sharif.

THE KINGREE PLATE SCALE ORDER VI AND VII 5 F:

Mera Aftaab (Rizwan Khan) 8-7, Aftab Chaudhry 1; Race 9-0, Asad Aksir 2, Mission Possible 8-3, Waheed Baran 3; Sea Gold 8-13 (cr8-8), Ali Ehsan 4.

Won by 3 L, 1 L, 4 L. Time: One minute 6 2/5 seconds. Winner trained by Zia-ur-Rehman.

THE KINGREE PLATE SCALE ORDER VI 5 F:

Lady’s Secret (Syed Ismail Shah) 8-11, Mohammad Sajjad 1; Afreen 8-6, Zaki Zakir 2; Faryad Prince 8-3, Wasim 3; Snow White 8-8, Sohail Ahmed 4.

Won by 4 L, 2½ L, Head. Time: One minute 4 3/5 seconds. Winner trained by Ghulam Shabbir II.

THE KINGREE PLATE SCALE ORDER IV AND V 5 F:

Show Stopper (Syed Ismail Shah) 9-0, Mohammad Manzoor 1; Sher Khan 7-6 (cr7-8), Mohammad Amjad 2; Zarnatta 8-9, Waheed Baran 3; Cherish 7-10, Zaki Zakir 4.

Won by 7 L, 1½ L, 6 L. Time: One minute 3 1/5 seconds. Winner trained by Ghulam Shabbir II.

THE QUAID-I-AZAM TRIAL CUP – A HANDICAP RACE FOR THREE-YEAR-OLD AND ABOVE PAK HORSES – 1 M:

Big Bravo (S.M. Raza and Ali Raza Zia) 10-0, Aftab Chaudhry 1; Big Bash 9-6, Aamir Pervez 2; English Vinglish 7-6, Mohammad Sajjad 3; Rustam 9-0, Asad Aksir 4.

Won by 1¼ L, 5 L, 4 L. Time: One minute 43 2/5 seconds. Winner trained by Mohammad Hanif.

THE KINGREE PLATE SCALE ORDER I, II AND III 5 F:

Olympus (Ata-ur-Rehman) 10-0, Aamir Pervez 1; Tanya 9-0, Mohammad Sajjad 2; My Beauty 7-6 (cr7-12), Asad Aksir 3; Luck Pass 7-4 (cr7-12), Wasim 4.

Won by 1 L, Head, 10 L. Time: One minute 3 2/5 seconds. Winner trained by Aurangzeb.

Published in Dawn, December 10th, 2017