KARACHI: Displaying awesome performance, long shot yet fancied thoroughbred chestnut horse Thunder Star lowered the colours of favourite bay horse Churchill, galloping to whopping nine lengths victory to lift the Generation Cup in the winter Gymkhana race meeting at the Karachi Racecourse on Sunday.

Thunder Star overtook frontrunner Churchill at the bend and kicked up speed in home stretch to win hands-down with rider Adnan Khan in the saddle. He clocked smart time of one minute and eight seconds for five-and-a-half furlongs competition that featured five horses.

Dark bay horse Robert fell three lengths behind while bay horse Zaheer Choice completed the frame another length-and-a-quarter away.

Earlier, the race card was reduced to five races as the fourth race was cancelled following scratching of an unfit Hi Alert in the morning declaration leaving only three horses in fray.

At the outset, co-favourite dark bay mare Basanti edged chestnut horse Rich Striker by short-head in a photo-finish to grab honours in the opening race.

She was piloted home by Asad Abbas II in 0.532/5 seconds in the four-furlong race. The other co-favourite chestnut mare Soldier Girl had to be content with third place four-and-a-half lengths behind and was foll­o­wed by gelding Faisal Choice three-and-a-half lengths away.

Riding boy M. Asim hogged limelight with a brace while guiding rank outsider bay horse Baraco and public fancy mare Angel Love to victories in back-to-back races.

Baraco defeated favourite grey horse Zabal One as he pleased by nine lengths to clinch the second race. He returned home in 0.512/5 seconds in the four furlongs contest. They were followed by Arsalan Choice and Zayan in same order respectively.

Angel Love obliged all and sundry imposing to ten-and-a-half lengths victory over chestnut horse Faster Than You in a one-sided race. She completed the four-and-a-half furlongs race in 0.561/5 seconds to make it two on trot.

Bay horses Achilles and Faisal King occupied the next two places on board respectively.

With a win under his belt, bay horse Azeem Choice stretched his unbeaten run by getting the better of co-favourite filly English Doll by three lengths to bag the fifth race in one minute and three seconds.

Mr. On Job seized third place ahead of Geo Baba in a field of 10 horses.

Published in Dawn, January 9th, 2023