KARACHI: In a sheer coincidence with change of guard in the prime minister’s office, Lahore’s dark bay mare Tabdeeli lowered the colours of favourite colt Shining Arrow as fancied filly Sweet Victory lifted the Boost Cup in the Gymkhana race meeting at the Karachi Racecourse on Saturday.

Tabdeeli finally overcome the victory jinx while edging dark bay mare Arrogant Lady by three-quarter-of-a-length to create quite a stir in the second race. Favourite Shining Arrow had to be content with third place while Lahore’s debutant mare Poetry completed the frame among half a dozen starters. Bay horse Mamoon was scratched before the race.

Another Lahore’s debutant Sweet Victory shot to fame galloping to a facile five lengths victory over Salam-e-Kaif to land The Boost Cup in the next race.

Champions stable mate filly Most Gifted was initially opened favourite but was not on job as Sweet Victory was backed by connection.

Sher Khan and Dhannak followed the two on the board respectively.

The triumph helped owner Irfan Mehdi and trainer Yousuf S to complete a double following Raging Victory’s success in the opening race by four length over mare Dazzling Diva.

Debutant Feeras Love was withdrawn before the race leaving seven horses in fray.

Favourite four-year-old colt Chief Sahab made amends of successive loss sprinting to three-and-a-half lengths victory over Balochistan Star. The latter was among those who also ran in his last outing.

Lovely Baby was placed third six-and-a-half lengths away followed by mare Pari who finished four-and-a-half lengths behind.

Results:

THE BOOST PLATE SCALE ORDER VII AND VIII 4 F:

Raging Victory (Irfan Mehdi) 8-10, Asad Aksir 1; Dazzling Diva 9-2, Mohammad Manzoor 2; Believe Me 8-7, Mohammad Sajjad 3; Sarawan Rose 8-4, Sohail Ahmed 4.

Won by 4 L, 6 L, S. Head. Time: 0.52 2/5 seconds. Winner trained by Yousuf S.

THE BOOST PLATE SCALE ORDER V, VI AND VII 4½ F:

Tabdeeli (Waqar Hussain Leghari) 8-11, Ashiq Ali 1; Arrogant Lady7-13, Riaz Ahmed 2; Shining Arrow 7-13, Asad Aksir 3; Poetry 7-13, Mohammad Sajjad 4.

Won by ¾ L, 4 L, 12 L. Time: One minute 0 1/5 seconds. Winner trained by S. Khan.

THE BOOST CUP SCALE ORDER IV AND V 4½ F:

Sweet Victory (Irfan Mehdi) 8-0, Mohammad Sajjad 1; Salam-e-Kaif 8-12, Pervez Ali 2; Sher Khan 8-2, Sohail Ahmed 3; Dhannak 9-0, Mohammad Manzoor 4.

Won by 5 L, 2½ L, 3 L. Time: 0.57 2/5 seconds. Winner trained by Yousuf S.

THE BOOST PLATE SCALE ORDER II, III AND IV 4½ F:

Chief Sahab (Farhan Essa) 9-0, Mohammad Manzoor 1; Balochistan Star 8-11, Asad Aksir 2; Lovely Baby 9-0 (cr8-7), Mohammad Rashid 3; Pari 7-11, Zaki Zakir 4.

Won by 3½ L, 6½ L, 4½ L. Time: 0.58 seconds. Winner trained by Ghulam Shabbir II.

Published in Dawn, August 19th, 2018