KARACHI: Favourite colt Thunder Star stretched his winning streak galloping to a length victory over stable mate colt Thunder Snow to lift the Defence Day Cup in the Gymkhana race meeting at the Karachi Racecourse on Sunday.

With the Independence Day Cup already under his belt, Thunder Star justified his credentials by adding another glory to make his owner Ather Abbas proud.

It may be mentioned that Thunder Star had edged Thunder Snow by short head in the Independence Day Cup meeting on Aug 29.

The victorious horse was ably ridden home by rider Adnan and partnered by trainer Nazir.

Bay colt Gift Of Gold had to be content with third place beaten by two-and-a-quarter lengths while Mind of Promise completed the quartet, finishing another four lengths behind.

The owner, trainer and rider received the Defence Day Cup and mementos from former KRC chairman Mohammad Yousuf Dada and ex-Pakistan State Oil top official A.R.Mithani.

Another favourite bay colt Roderick overcame frontrunner Risky in home stretch to post a splendid four-and-a-half lengths victory in the fifth and supporting race.

Risky had led the field for about three furlongs but could not maintain the pace and fell fourth further pushed by Balochistan Queen and Starka, who occupied second and third places on board respectively.

Second favourite bay horse Non Stop made amends by getting the better of Sassy Gold by a length-and-a-quarter to clinch the opening race. Non Stop had finished second in his last outing.

Bay horse Airborne posted three lengths victory over co-favourite Little Darling to atone for its successive losses by returning to winning ways with flying colours in the second race.

Starting from where he had left, favourite chestnut horse Dictator dictated the terms while defeating Faster Than You by three-and-a-half lengths to make it two wins on the trot.

Rider Mohammad Ramzan and trainer Nazir hogged the limelight by partnering double apiece. The former piloted home Dictator and Roderick while the latter sent brace of winners in Non Stop and Thunder Star.

Meanwhile, the KRC will embark upon an ambitious program to create more sporting facilities and bring it at par with international standards.

“The KRC committee on Sunday decided to upgrade and improve the existing facilities by creating KRC Sports Club,” KRC president Syed Sadruddin Shah Rashdi said in a statement.

The sports facilities would comprise of separate gymnasium for men and women, squash courts, tennis courts, swimming pool, horse riding club, jogging track, indoor games including billiards, badminton and table tennis.

“The committee has decided to raise world class facilities and to start the club in a year,” Rashdi added.

Results:

THE DEFENCE DAY PLATE SCALE ORDER VIII — 4 F:

Non Stop (Khadim Hussain) 8-5, Mohammad Qais 1l; Sassy Gold 9-0, Mohammad Sajjad 2; Thunder Time 8-4 (cr8-1), Adnan Khan 3; Race 8-10, Mohammad Ramzan 4.

Won 1 ¼ L, 1 ½ L, ¾ L. Time: 0.53 3/5 seconds.

Winner trained by Nazir.

THE DEFENCE DAY PLATE SCALE ORDER VII — 4½ F:

Airborne (Hassan Khan) 8-2, Mohammad Sajjad 1; Little Darling 8-11, Safdar Hussain 2; Stifee 8-10, Sani Babu 3; Kiran Princess 8-11, Latif 4.

Won 3 L, 2½ L, 4 L. Time: 0.59 4/5 seconds. Winner trained by Gh. Shabbir II.

THE DEFENCE DAY PLATE SCALE ORDER VI — 5 F:

Dictator (Mohammad Shakeel) 9-0, Mohammad Ramzan 1; Faster Than You 8-9 (cr8-2), Mohammad Asim 2; Punjabi Munda 8-0, Mohammad Qais 3; Mehbooba 8-10, Mohammad Manzoor 4.

Won 3½ L, 7 L, 6 L. Time: One minute 4 2/5 seconds. Winner trained by Mujahid Ali.

THE DEFENCE DAY CUP SCALE ORDER I, II & III — 5 F:

Thunder Star (Athar Abbas) 8-12, Adnan Khan 1; Thunder Snow 7-0, Zaki Zakir 2; Gift of Gold 7-8, Mohammad Sajjad 3; Mind Of Promise 9-8, Zohaib Qamar 4.

Won 1 L, 2 ¼ L, 4 L. Time: One minute 1 3/5 seconds. Winner trained by Nazir.

THE DEFENCE DAY PLATE SCALE ORDER IV & V — 5 F:

Roderick (Jaffer Abbas Moheyuddin) 7-4, Mohammad Ramzan 1; Balochistan Queen 8-8, Asad Aksir 2; Starka 8-6 (cr7-13), Mohammad Asim 3; Risky 9-0, Shahid Ali II 4.

Won 4½ L, 1½ L, 4 L. Time: One minute 4 3/5 seconds. Winner trained by Moheyuddin.

Published in Dawn, September 13th, 2021