KARACHI: Lahore’s favourite five-year-old bay horse Zoaq obliged all and sundry galloping to an authoritative seven lengths victory over bay horse Shan-e-Kaif to lift The Labour Day Cup in the Gymkhana race meeting at the Karachi Racecourse on Saturday.

Making his maiden appearance at the course, Zoaq defied scorching heat to return victorious and open his account.

Zoaq was supposed to appear in a race on March 31 but injured itself in the starting gate and was compelled to withdraw.

Filly Swarovski was placed third three lengths away with bay horse Day Breaker completing the frame among eight starters.

The race was also day’s feature event — combined scale order 111 and IV and contested over four furlongs.

Rank outsider chestnut horse Whip’M created quite a stir while getting the better of filly Most Gifted by two length and-a-half to annex the supporting race, scale order IV and V.

The significant feature of the race was that experience prevailed as Whip’M was ridden home by Aksir A to maiden success in its third outing while Most Gifted was partnered by his son Asad Aksir.

They were followed by Afreen three lengths away while favourite Saba completed the frame edged by half-a-length.

At the outset, mare Sanam Jan opened her account imposing to three length victory over mare Dhannak.

Two horses — Sarwan Rose and Raging Victory — were withdrawn before the race leaving seven horses in the field in the opening race.

Favourite bay horse Right Time made it two wins on the trot while getting the better of Do It by five lengths to clinch the second race while four-year-old dark bay filly Snow White edged Don Khalifa by short head to win the third race.

Results:

THE LABOUR DAY PLATE SCALE ORDER VII AND VIII 4 F:

Sanam Kaif (Saeed Raza) 8-3, Pervez Ali 1; Dhannak 8-5, Waheed Baran 2; Clarity 8-5, Mohammad Sajjad 3; Sweet Sereena 8-8 (cr8-5), Mohammad Qais 4.

Won by 3 L, 5 L, 2 L. Time: 0.54 2/5 seconds. Winner trained by Nazir.

THE LABOUR DAY PLATE SCALE ORDER V AND VI 4 F:

Right Time (Mohammad Aslam Khan) 8-8 (cr8-5), Mohammad Qais 1; Do It 8-8, Asad Aksir 2; Jawad Love 9-0 (cr8-11), Shahzad Gul 3; Black Darling 8-7 (cr9-0), Tariq Baran 4.

Won by 5 L, 10 L, 4 L. Time: 0.57 2/5 seconds. Winner trained by Mohammad Mazhar.

THE LABOUR DAY PLATE SCALE ORDER V 4 F:

Snow White (M.R. Hussain) 8-7, Mohammad Amjad 1; Don Khalifa 8-11, Nazil Hussain 2; Pari 9-0, Asad Aksir 3; Mera Aftaab 8-12, Zohaib Qamar 4.

Won by S. Head, 5 L, 4 L. Time: 0.52 2/5 seconds. Winner trained by S.A. Zaidi.

THE LABOUR DAY CUP SCALE ORDER III AND IV 4 F:

Zoaq (Zaid Rahim) 7-8 (cr8-1), Sohail Ahmed 1; Shan-e-Kaif 7-13 (cr8-3), Pervez Ali 2; Swarovski 9-2, Zohaib Qamar 3; Day Breaker 7-11, Asad Aksir 4.

Won by 7 L, 3 L, 3¾ L. Time: 0.50 1/5 seconds. Winner trained by Mohammad Hanif.

THE LABOUR DAY PLATE SCALE ORDER IV AND V 4 F:

Whip’M (Zia-ur-Rehman) 7-12, Aksir A 1; Most Gifted 7-10, Asad Aksir 2; Afreen 8-11, Waheed Baran 3; Saba 7-9, Mohammad Amjad 4.

Won by 2½ L, 3 L, ½ L. Time: 0.50 3/5 seconds. Winner trained by Tanvir Abbasi.

Published in Dawn, May 6th, 2018