KARACHI: With just two appearances under his belt, bay horse Piyara Sayeen displayed scintillating performance to lift the Sunshine Cup in the winter Gymkhana race meeting at the Karachi Racecourse on Sunday.

Piyara Sayeen, who completed the frame in the Kashmir Cup earlier this month, defeated co-favourite dark bay horse King Of Kohistan as he pleased by six lengths to improve his credentials besides opening course account.

Mare Paris fell third a length and-a-half behind followed by another mare Sanobar who finished two and-a-half lengths away among six starters.

Owned by Mohammad Pervaiz and sent by trainer Tanveer Abbasi, the winning horse was piloted home by rider Asad Aksir.

Riding on the crest of a wave, Aksir completed a double guiding rank outsider six-yer-old dark bay horse Black Gold to two lengths victory over favourite bay mare Sweet Victory in the fifth and last race which was also days feature event.

Form horse Sweet Victory had led the field even after negotiating the bend but a fast chasing Black Gold kicked up speed in home stretch to post upset victory and open his 2020 account.

Experts believe mare Sweet Victory had a disadvantage of 9-6 handicap on her back. Last year’s champion rider Mohammad Manzoor also shone in the saddle by piloting home a brace of winners to match Aksir’s feat.

First, he partnered long shot mare Soldier Girl to a smart six lengths victory over mare Risky in the second race and then obliged all and sundry galloping public fancy bay horse Cracks Man to five-and-a-half lengths victory over bay horse Zorawar in the fourth.

At the outset, mare Fast Catcher created quite a stir by getting the better of favourite mare Humaira Choice by three-and-a-half lengths to clinch the opening race.

Menwhile, the next winter Gymkhana race meeting will be held on Saturday, Feb 29.

Results:

THE SUNSHINE PLATE SCALE ORDER VIII 4 F:

Fast Catcher (Mr. Mohammad Yaseen Braech) 8-13 Safdar Hussain 1, Humaira Choice 9-0 M. Sajjad 2, Tahzeeb 8-10 Zaki Zakir 3, Fakhr-e-Kasur 8-3 Waheed Baran 4.

Won by 3 ½ L, 2 L, 10 L. Time: 0.54 1/5 seconds. Winner trained by Amjad Ali.

THE SUNSHINE PLATE SCALE ORDER VII AND VIII 4 F:

Soldier Girl (Mr. M. Shakeel) 8-8 M. Manzoor 1, Risky 8-6 Safdar Hussain 2, No Try 8-8 Nazil Hussain 3, Meri Chahat 8-13 M. Sajjad 4.

Won by 6 L, ½ L, Neck. Time: 0.52 seconds. Winner trained by Mujahid Ali.

THE SUNSHINE CUP SCALE ORDER V, VI AND VII 4 ½ F:

Piyara Sayeen (Mr. Mohammad Pervaiz) 8-13 Asad Aksir 1, King Of Kohistan 8-10 Zaki Zakir 2, Paris 8-9 M. Manzoor 3, Sanobar 7-12 Waseem 4.

Won by 6 L, 1 ½ L, 2 ½ L. Time: 0.57 4/5 seconds. Winner trained by Tanveer Abbasi.

THE SUNSHINE PLATE SCALE ORDER IV AND V 4 ½ F:

Cracks Man (M/s Zainab Ali and Aariz Nawaz) 9-0 M. Manzoor 1, Zorawar 8-6 Safdar Hussain 2, Faster Than You 8-12 Ali Raza II, 3, Royal Fort 8-8 Sohail Ahmed 4.

Won by 5 ½ L, Head, 4 12/2 L. Time: 0.57 3/5 seconds. Winner trained by M. Sharif.

THE SUNSHINE PLATE SCALE ORDER II, III AND IV 4 ½ F:

Black Gold (Mr. Mohammad Mushtaq) 8-12 Asad Aksir 1, Sweet Victory 9-6 Waseem 2, Piyara Faisal 7-4 Zaki Zakir 3, Mohallaydar 7-3 Waheed Baran 4.

Won by 2 L, 4 L, 1 L. Time: 0.58 seconds. Winner trained by M. Tufail.

Published in Dawn, February 24th, 2020