0
KARACHI, Dec 24: Four-year-old filly, Fantastic Face, is poised to win the prestigious Quaid-i-Azam Cup when the Winter Gymkhana race meeting takes place at the Karachi Racecourse on Sunday.
This year, being Sunday, the day coincides with the Quaid’s birth anniversary and a large holiday crowd is expected to turn up to watch the thrills and excitement.
Owned by Shah Mardan Shah Pir Pagara and trained by Mumtaz Ali, the filly had to be content with second place behind four-year-old colt, Ghazan Prince, in the Quaid-i-Azam Trial Cup.
This was preceded by his two successive triumphs including the Karachi St. Leger Cup last month with jockey Muhammad Essa in the saddle. He is a seasoned campaigner and had many wins under his belt.
The filly would be up against seven contenders in the Gold Cup to be run over a distance of 12 furlongs and make amends of the Trial Cup loss. It is a handicap race for Pakistani bred horses of four years and upwards.
Irfan Mehdi’s colt Ghazan Prince and Faisal Farooq’s bay colt, Al Faris, are the two strong contenders for a place.
In all, a card of ten races has been drawn for the day with first race starting at 11.00am.
Going by the track record, three-year-old chestnut, Silent Angel, should grab Christmas Cup to be run over six furlongs with experienced jockey Abdul Aziz in the saddle.
He should be chased by Chaleswan Chur and King Of Mehran in the pack of eleven runners.
Syed Nadeem Anwar’s two-year-old colt, Shan-e-Gujrat, is fancied to live up to its reputation by winning the AKD Nursery Cup in the sixth race. It is a handicap race for Pakistani colts and fillies of two years.
Colt, Conquest To Conqueror and filly, Sweet Smile, both owned by Rehab Ateeq should fight for the place.
Three-year-old filly, Victory Road, with Shahid Rehman in the saddle, should pick up the spoils in the 2000 Guineas Of Pakistan, in the fourth event of the programme, a term race for Pakistani colts and fillies of three years.
She should be followed by Savabeel and Makina for the following two places.
Following is the field and our selections.
CHRISTMAS PLATE DIV V 5F
Piyari Mehbooba 9-5, Ghabra 8-11, Golden Copy 8-7, Royal promise 8-3, Laurel 8-2, Taneez 8-2, Lovely Concept 8-0, Bank Manager 7-10, Baby Raysham 7-10, Samroon 7-10.
Win: Lovely Concept
Place: Royal Promise & Piyari Mehbooba
CHRISTMAS PLATE DIV 1V 5F
Royal Lancer 9-1, Clapping 9-0, Chand Aya 9-0, Auzy 8-13, New Ferrari 8-13, Tom Cruise 8-13, Nawab-e-Arab 8-11, Lucky View 8-8, Canon Ball 8-8, Lucky Seven 8-3, Khush Nazar 8-3, Neelam Taab 8-2, Fighter 8-1, Silent Love 8-0, Kinjehar 8-0, Super Time 7-12, Raaz 7-12, Daruwala 7-10.
Win: Canon Ball
Place: Silent Love & Tom Cruise
CHRISTMAS PLATE DIV 111 5F
Deniro 9-0, Mera Jugnoo 8-12, Rita 8-10, Sweet Mover 8-10, Gillespie 8-8, Desperado 8-7, Al Zarrar 8-7, Sonia 8-5, Gold Disc 8-3, Eager Saint 8-2, Ultimate Victory 8-2, Just Call Me 8-1, Sherry The Great 8-0, Smashing Arrow 7-13, Baba Jani 7-12, Beautiful Bee 7-12, Tag Team 7-11, Khan The Great 7-11.
Win: Deniro
Place: Desperado & Al Zarrar
THE 2000 GUINEAS OF PAKISTAN 1M
Excalibur 8-7, Harry Potter 8-7, King Of Kings 8-7, Naseeb-e-Arab 8-7, Secret Conquest 8-7, Tharkyee 8-7, Air Blue 8-4, Makina 8-4, Savabeel 8-4, Victory Road 8-4.
Win: Victory Road
Place: Savabeel & Makina
CHRISTMAS PLATE DIV 11 6F
Imaging If 9-0, Victory Symbol 8-13, Dhoom Machade 8-12, Wait And See 8-10, Murad King 8-10, Yes Naeem 8-7, Qandhar 8-6, Yes Neighbour Yes 8-5, Goldi Locks 8-5, Queen Of Arab 8-5, Trust Him 8-3, Bright And Early 8-1, Khas-Ul-Khas 8-1, Lucky Step 7-12.
Win: Yes Neighbour Yes
Place: Yes Naeem & Bright And Early
AKD NURSERY CUP 6F
Moon Raker 9-4, Shah-e-Arab 9-4, Sher-e-Gujrat 9-4, Zidane 9-4, Safari Queen 9-1, Fast Burner 8-11, Bul Bul 8-8, Queen Of Mirwa 8-8, Conquest To Conqueror 8-4, Dubawi 8-4, Reyan King 8-4, Shamardal 8-4, Super Speed 8-4, Sweet Smile 8-1.
Win: Shan-e-Gujrat
Place: Conquest To Conqueror & Sweet Smile
CHRISTMAS PLATE DIV 1 6F
Aie Bahar 9-0, Sky Walker 8-13, Jawan Bakht 8-12, Jan-e-Mun 8-11, Scarface 8-10, Silver City 8-9, Sweet Grandy 8-5, Waja 8-3, Rat Ki Rani 8-2, Black Girl 8-1, Victory Girl 8-1, Hot Strides 8-1, Annaba 7-10.
Win: Scarface
Place: Silver City & Jawan Bakht
QUAID-I-AZAM GOLD CUP 12F
Lucky Murad 8-11, Leo 8-6, Ghazan Prince 8-2, King Of Sanghar 8-2, Captain Crash 8-1, Adaab Arz 8-1, Fantastic Face 7-13, Al Faris 7-11.
Win: Fantastic Face
Place: Ghazan Prince & Al Faris
CHRISTMAS CUP 6F
Arab Hi Arab 9-7, Blue Breeze 9-5, Chaleswan Chur 8-12, Bahar-e-Arab 8-12, Bang On Target 8-8, Real Gift 8-5, King Of Mehran 8-1, Fakhr-e-Sanghar 7-12, Silent Angel 7-10, Dragun Heart 7-10, Ouija Board 7-7.
Win: Silent Angel
Place: Chaleswan Chur & King Of Mehran
CHRISTMAS PLATE 6F
Countess Mah Again 9-3, Leopard 9-0, Cant Catch Me 9-0, Gullu’s Government 8-13, Birj-ul-Arab 8-13, Abhi Abhi 8-11, Bilal Choice 8-11, Sharp Cat 8-8, Haseena-e-Arab 8-7, Fly To The Sky 8-6, Voo Doo Doll 8-5, Maid’s Causeway 8-3, Hi Darling 8-1, Big Brother 8-0, Shannel 8-0, Eswarah 7-12, Arabian Queen 7-12, Breaking News 7-10.
Win: Sharp Cat
Place: Leopard & Fly To The Sky
DAYS BEST: Fantastic Face
GOOD DOUBLE: Victory Road & Shan-e-Gujrat.
