KARACHI: Bay horse Come On Champion looks poised to reign supreme in the Queen Cup when it takes place in the winter Gymkhana meeting here at the Karachi Racecourse on Sunday.

Come On Champion, who was placed second in the New Year Cup, finished off the frame in his last outing on Jan 8. Pundits rate him fancied among six acceptors in the five-furlong race classified under scale order II and III.

Another bay horse, Azeem Choice, is expected to follow in the footsteps of Come On Champion in the contest which is also the day’s feature event.

Bay horse Deewana is likely to make amends should he get past half-a-dozen opponents and clinch the opening race of a five-race card drawn for the day. Deewana had to be content with second place behind Arsalan Choice beaten by four lengths last week.

Chestnut mare Fiona who will make her appearance after a long layoff, may grab the honours in the second race being contested over four-and-a-half furlongs under scale order VII.

However, she has to overcome challengers chestnut horse Meharban and bay horse Baraco among eight other contestants.

Mare New Market, who finished off the frame in her last two runs, is expected to shine in the third race while outpacing three other aspirants in the four-and-a-half furlongs race classified under scale order V and VI. She may be challenged by bay horse Hi Alert.

Mare Sherzadi, who seized third place in her run last week, appears best bet in the third race which has a field of five horses. Mare Sweet Golden looks good for second place in the four-and-a-half furlongs race under scale order IV and V. The first race starts at 2:00pm.

JOCKEY ADNAN STILL UNCONSCIOUS

Incumbent champion jockey Adnan Khan who suffered a serious head injury after falling from his mount Time Game while competing in the Queen’s Best Cup last weekend is still unconscious at a local hospital, a KRC official told Dawn.

The rider, who was immediately rushed to a nearby hospital, was shifted to another private facility before being moved to the JPMC.

“His expenses are being borne by owner of Time Game, Syed Sibghatullah Shah Pir Pagara, in the aftermath of the non-renewal of insurance policy by a private firm,” the official added.

In 2016, the KRC had initiated a move to provide insurance cover to riders following deaths of a couple of riders in similar circumstances.

The official further mentioned that cheques amounting to approximately Rs0.6 million on account of premium for health and life insurance of 32 riders were cleared on Jan 5, nine days before the incident.

Despite this, a representative of the insurance firm informed on phone on the day of incident that the company was cancelling the policy and will refund the payment, the official alleged.

Published in Dawn, January 22th, 2023