KARACHI: Fast-chasing mare Galileo Lady edged chestnut horse Gladiator by half-a-length to lift the October Cup in the Gymkhana race meeting at the Karachi Racecourse on Sunday.

Mare Risky fell behind by three lengths to seize third place followed by bay horse Piyara Faisal on board in a field of six horses.

By doing so Galileo Lady returned to winning ways after her last triumph on Sept 13 that followed a second and third finishes on board respectively.

Galileo Lady, Gladiator and Risky were fancied for the cup and the former overtook the two front runners by by one in home stretch to post exciting victory.

The victorious horse was tactfully galloped home by rider Asad Aksir and was sent by trainer Mohammad Shahzad. It belonged to the stables of owner Haji Abdul Majeed.

The owner-trainer pair were on song posting a double after long shot bay horse Kamyaab shocked favourite mare Haseena-e-Arab by half-a-length in the second race.

At the outset debutant bay horse Kuwait Edition justified his billing by winning as he pleased by nine lengths over Petra in the opening race.

He was piloted home by efficient rider Tariq Baran who returned with a double his other winner being Kamyaab.

In yet another upset, mare Linda running under new name, formerly No Try, made it two wins on the trot while getting the better of public fancy King Queen in a close finish by half-a-length. Linda is owned by Fasihuddin Ghori who has returned to KRC after almost 15 years.

Three-year-old bay colt Thunder King obliged all and sundry edging Abdullah Princess by distance to land the fifth and concluding race which was also feature event.

Results:

THE OCTOBER PLATE SCALE ORDER VIII — 4 F:

Kuwait Edition (Ehtesham Malik and Waiz Malik) 9-0 (cr9-3), Tariq Baran 1; Petra 8-10, Wasim 2; Balam Bhai 8-7, Mohammad Manzoor 3; Jungle Queen 7-10, Mohammad Ramzan 4.

Won by 9 L, 3 L, 2 ½ L. Time: 0.51 3/5 seconds. Winner trained by Naseem.

THE OCTOBER PLATE SCALE ORDER VII — 4 F:

Kamyaab (Haji Abdul Majeed) 9-0, Tariq Baran 1; Haseena-e-Arab 8-10, Mohammad Sajjad 2; Darshan 8-10 (cr8-3), Mohammad Ramzan 3; Hawwaam 9-0, Waheed Baran 4.

Won by ½ L, 2 L, ¾ L. Time: 0.53 1/5 seconds. Winner trained by Mohammad Shahzad.

THE OCTOBER PLATE SCALE ORDER V, VI & VIII — 4 F:

Linda (Fasihuddin Ghori) 8-4, Mohammad Ramzan 1; King Queen 8-2, Safdar Hussain 2, Justify 8-2, Mohammad Manzoor 3; Night Sparkle 8-6, Majid Ali 4.

Won by ½ L, 2 L, 6 L. Time: 0.51 3/5 seconds. Winner trained by Mohammad Hanif.

THE OCTOBER CUP SCALE ORDER V — 4½ F:

Galileo Lady (Haji Abdul Majeed) 8-1, Asad Aksir 1; Gladiator 9-0, Safdar Hussain 2; Risky 8-10,

Mohammad Ramzan 3; Piyara Faisal 8-6, Zohaib Qamar 4.

Won by ½ L, 3 L, 4 L. Time: 0.57 2/5 seconds. Winner trained by Mohammad Shahzad.

THE OCTOBER PLATE SCALE ORDER II, III & IV — 4½ F :

Thunder King (Athar Abbas) 7-6, Zaki Zakir 1; Abdullah Princess 9-1, Zohaib Qamar 2; Parachuter 9-3, Mohammad Manzoor 3; Black Gold 9-0, Yousuf Ikram 4.

Won by Dist, 2½ L, 1¼ L. Time: 0.55 3/5 seconds. Winner trained by Nazir.

Published in Dawn, October 12th, 2020