KARACHI: Favourite bay colt Churchill produced an awesome performance, galloping to a fluent four lengths victory over bay horse G Sarkar to lift the Karachi Cup in the Gymkhana race meeting at the Karachi Racecourse on Saturday.

Churchill, who completed the frame in his last outing on Nov 20, obliged all and sundry to win in a start-to-finish bid among five contestants. Filly Princess Maria, who was on course for a hat-trick, seized third place another seven lengths behind followed by dark bay colt Young Gun.

Co-owned by Syed Ismail Shah and Hammad Farooq Fikri, the victorious horse was piloted home by rider M. Manzoor and sent by trainer Ghulam Shabbir II.

Public fancy filly Chile also justified her credentials imposing to three lengths victory over bay horse Kuwait Edition to win the sixth and supporting race. Bay horse Piyara Faisal and filly Jugni followed the two in same order.

At the outset, another favourite bay horse Shan-e-Sikandar was on song when he got the better of mare Sheba by four-and-a-half lengths to set the winning trend.

With a win already under his belt, co-favourite chestnut horse Faris repeated his feat when he defeated Fair Deal hands down by ten lengths to clinch the third race.

The day saw two upsets in which rank outsiders Little Darling and Faster Than You lowered the colours of favourites to clinch honours.

Riders Safdar Hussain and Manzoor excelled in their cadre by partnering a brace of winners apiece while trainer Shabbir also finished with a double.

Results:

THE KARACHI PLATE SCALE ORDER VIII 4 F:

Shan-e-Sikandar (Haji Sahib Jan Braech) 8-13 Safdar Hussain 1, Sheba 8-10(cr8-7) Adnan Khan 2, Well Wisher 8-4(cr8-6) Kamran II 3, Storm Fire 7-10 Riaz Ahmed 4.

Won by 4½ L, 2 L, 3½ L. Time: 0.52 2/5 seconds. Winner trained by Amjad Ali.

THE KARACHI PLATE SCALE ORDER VII 4 F:

Little Darling (M/s M. Owais Abro & M. Ayan Abro) 8-10 Safdar Hussain 1, Khairpur Star 8-8 Asad Aksir 2, Non Stop 8-4(8-6) Kamran II 3, Soldier Girl 9-0 Riaz Ahmed 4.

Won by 1¾ L, Head, 3½ L. Time: 0.53 1/5 seconds. Winner trained by Nadim Abro.

THE KARACHI PLATE SCALE ORDER VII 4 F:

Faris (Mr. Ayan) 9-0 Sohail Ahmed 1, Fair Deal 9-0 M. Asim 2, Soldier Star 8-10 Safdar Hussain 3, Janan 8-10 M. Manzoor 4.

Won by 10 L, 4 L, 5 L. Time: 0.51 1/5 seconds. Winner trained by M. Hanif.

THE KARACHI PLATE SCALE ORDER V & VI 4½ F:

Faster Than You (Syed Konain M. Shah) 8-3 Zaki Zakir 1, Galileo Lady 8-3 Asad Aksir 2, Front Man 9-0(cr8-7) Kamran II 3, Take Care 9-0(cr8-7) M. Asim 4.

Won by Head, 1¼ L, 5 L. Time: 0.59 1/5 seconds. Winner trained by Sher Mohammad.

THE KARACHI CUP SCALE ORDER I & II 5 F:

Churchill (M/s Syed Ismail Shah & Hammad Farooq Fikri) 8-0 M. Manzoor 1, G Sarkar 8-0 Waheed Baran 2, Princess Maria 7-11 Asad Aksir 3, Young Gun 7-0(cr8-6) Kamran II 4.

Won by 4 L, 7 L, 8 L. Time: One minute 0. 3/5 seconds. Winner trained by Ghulam Shabbir II.

THE KARACHI PLATE SCALE ORDER III & IV 5 F:

Chile (Mr. Farhan Essa Abdullah) 8-0 M. Manzoor 1, Kuwait Edition 7-6 Adnan Khan 2, Piyara Faisal 9-0 Waheed Baran 3, Jugni 8-10 Riaz Ahmed 4.

Won by 3 L, 4 L, 6 L. Time: One minute 2 1/5 seconds. Winner trained by Ghulam Shabbir II.

Published in Dawn, December 19th, 2021