KARACHI: Unknown rank outsider pedigree bay horse Sher Khan upset the applecart while lifting the Odyssey Cup as owner-cum-steward Irfan Mehdi’s horses did him proud with a splendid treble in the Gymkhana race meeting at the Karachi Racecourse on Saturday.

With back-to-back wins under his belt, Sher Khan completed hat-trick posting two lengths victory over mare Meri Saba to land the cup. The horse clocked one minute 1 3/5 seconds for five furlongs in the scale order II and III race which was also feature event.

Co-owned by Zainab Ali and Aariz Nawaz, the victorious horse was piloted home by rider Sohail Ahmed and was sent by trainer by Mohammad Sharif.

Bay horse Shan-e-Kaif seized third place beaten by short head while favourite three-year-old bay filly Dash In Queen had to be content with fourth place on board a length away among five starters.

At the outset long shot three-year-old bay colt Shining Arrow stretched his winning sequence while lowering the colours of favourite bay horse Tip Top by galloping to a facile three-length victory to claim the opening race.

They were followed by Sanam Kaif and Believe Me on board respectively.

Public fancy filly Sweet Victory obliged all and sundry by winning the next race as she pleased by 10 lengths to make amends for successive losses. She defeated Cash Machine for the honours.

Mare Pari fell back to third place beaten by two-and-a-half lengths with mare Lovely Baby occupying the fourth slot four lengths behind.

Another favourite unknown pedigree bay mare Poetry returned to winning ways by getting the better of Parachuter by six lengths in a start-to-finish race.

Jan-e-Fida who ran neck-and-neck with Poetry until one furlong was pushed into third place by a length-and-a-half as Currant Option completed the frame.

Trainer Yousuf S, who partnered Shining Arrow, Sweet Victory and Poetry also celebrated the day with a smart treble, while different riders piloted home the winners.

Results:

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

Shinning Arrow (Irfan Mehdi) 8-8, Wasim 1; Tip Top 9-0, Nazil Hussain 2; Sanam Kaif 7-10, Pervez Ali 3; Believe Me 8-9, Mohammad Manzoor 4.

Won by 3 L, 8 L, 7 L. Time: 0.59 seconds. Winner trained by Yousuf S.

THE ODYSSEY PLATE SCALE ORDER IV AND V 4½ F:

Sweet Victory (Irfan Mehdi) 8-13, Mohammad Manzoor 1; Cash Machine 8-4, Mohammad Sajjad 2; Pari 9-0, Asad Aksir 3; Lovely Baby 8-13, Sher Mohammad 4.

Won by 10 L, 2½ L, 4 L. Time: 0.58 1/5 seconds. Winner trained by Yousuf S.

THE ODYSSEY CUP SCALE ORDER II AND III 5 F:

Sher Khan (Zainab Ali and Aariz Nawaz) 8-0, Sohail Ahmed 1; Meri Saba 7-9, Zaki Zakir 2; Shan-e-Kaif 9-6, Pervez Ali 3; Dash In Queen 7-7, Mohammad Sajjad 4.

Won by 2 L, S. Head, 1 L. Time: One minute 3 1/5 seconds. Winner trained by Mohammad Sharif.

THE ODYSSEY PLATE SCALE ORDER III AND IV 5 F:

Poetry (Irfan Mehdi) 8-1, Mohammad Sajjad 1, Parachuter 9-0, Mohammad Manzoor 2; Jan-e-Fida 8-12, Riaz Ahmed 3; Current Option 8-12, Wasim 4.

Won by 6 L, 1½ L, 7 L. Time: One minute 4 2/5 seconds. Winner trained by Yousuf S.

Published in Dawn, November 4th, 2018