KARACHI: Favourite chestnut filly Blazing Arrow was on song as she galloped to two lengths victory over colt Geo Baba to clinch the Pakistan Day Cup in the Gymkhana race meeting at the Karachi Racecourse on Sunday.

Making her second appearance of the year, she obliged all and sundry while returning home in 0.562/5 seconds in the four-and-a-half furlongs race with rider M. Manzoor in the saddle. She belongs to the stables of Irfan Mehdi and was sent by trainer Yousuf S.

Bay horses Robert and Zaheer Choice secured the next two places further two and five lengths behind respectively among half-a-dozen starters after bay horse Azeem Choice could not make it to the race.

All in all, three favourites obliged race goers in a five-race card.

Earlier, the meeting commenced on a happy note when public fancy bay horse Golden Chance won the opening race defeating another bay horse Geo Ahsan as he pleased by seven lengths.

The victorious horse was ably ridden home by Pervaiz Ali in 0.522/5 seconds in four furlongs contest. Mare Baby Champion and gelding Faisal Choice claimed third and fourth places respectively.

In a repeat performance, favourite mare Fiona got the better of bay horse Hi Alert to win the fourth and supporting race and make it two on trot.

She returned home by two-lengths-and-a-quarter in 0.512/5 seconds in the four furlongs race under rider Lateef.

The top two were followed by mare Zahrish and bay horse My Boy respectively.

Longshot mare Basanti created quite a stir while lowering the colours of favourite chestnut horse Meharban imposing to a length-and-a-quarter victory to claim second race.

She was guided to victory by rider Asad Abbas II in 0.542/5 seconds in four furlongs competition.

Another rank outsider mare Meri Chahat pulled off the other upset of the day while prevailing over bay horse Epsom by a length-and-a-quarter to land the third race as favourite gelding Supreme Leader finished third.

The victorious mare clocked 0.53 seconds for four furlongs and was partnered by rider Ali Ehsan.

Published in Dawn, March 27th, 2023