KARACHI, April 18 Jockey Ghulam Shabbir II stole the limelight when he partnered three winners in a row to register first hat-trick of the season in the Gymkhana race meeting at the Karachi Racecourse on Sunday.

He started the day by powering favourite eight-year-old chestnut mare Butterfly to one-and-a-half lengths victory in the second race. He met with success again in the next race by piloting co-favourite Big Red to an emphatic five lengths victory and went on to complete the feat when he galloped second favourite filly Albely home by six lengths in the fourth.

Butterfly and Albely belonged to the stables of Shah Mardan Shah Pir Pagara while Big Red is owned by his grandson Syed Ismail Shah.

Earlier, champion jockey Mohammad Essa sprang a surprise when he steered long shot filly Tiara home by five lengths lowering the pretensions of public fancy Aishker who was placed second.

Three-year-old bay colt Lajawab lived up to his billing when he edged past colt Over Dose by three-and-a-half lengths to make it two on the trot in the fifth race.

The next race - The Sindh River Cup - ended in a blaze of glory for Eager Saint who prevailed over mare Cake by two lengths to stretch his run.

Another favourite that obliged punters in a nine-race card was unknown pedigree bay colt Guru Manter who beat mare Golden Prize by two lengths to land the concluding race.

Filly Shahzadi and mare Princess Rozi created quite a stir when they get past favourites in the remaining two races.

The former prevailed over mare Queen Annie by two lengths while the latter beat favourite Canon Fire by three-and-a-half lengths.

Trainers Allah Judrio and M. Rafiq K partnered two winners apiece.

Earlier, two-minute silence was observed on the sudden demise of turf accountant Zafar Malik who died in the city on Friday.

Results

THE SEHAR PLATE CLASS VII DIV III 5 F

Tiara (Syed Ali Jawaid)9-0 Mohammad Essa 1, Aishker 8-6 Waheed 2, Lucky Gem 8-3(cr8-1) Pervaiz Ali 3, Touching Wood 8-2 M.Amjad 4.

Won by 5 L, 6 L, 13 L. Time One minute 7 1/5 seconds. Winner trained by Sher Mohammad.

THE SWEET PLATE CLASS III, IV AND V DIV I 5 F

Butterfly (Shah Mardan Shah Pir Pagara) 8-12 Ghulam Shabbir II, 1, Marshal Law 8-6 Rehan Ahmed 2, Cover Up 9-0 M.Amjad 3, The Reyan 9-2 Mumtaz Ali 4.

Won by 3 ½ L, 1 ½ L, ½ L. Time One minute 4 2/5 seconds. Winner trained by Allah Judrio.

THE CHANDNI PLATE CLASS V DIV II AND CLASS VI 5 F

Big Red (Syed Ismail Shah) 8-2 Ghulam Shabbir II, 1, Crazy 8-6 Zaki Zakir 2, Dark Secret 9-0 Fahim K 3, Baby John 8-13 Mohammad Essa 4.

Won by 5 L, 12 L, Dist. Time One minute 4 seconds. Winner trained by M. Rafiq K.

THE SEHAR PLATE CLASS VII DIV I 5 ½ F

Albely (Shah Mardan Shah Pir Pagara) 8-10 Ghulam Shabbir II, 1, Black Rose 10-0 Rehan Ahmed 2, Dil Mangia 8-10 Mohammad Essa 3, Sakhee 8-9 Waseem 4.

Won by 6 L, ¾ L, 1 ½ L. Time One minute 12 3/5 seconds. Winner trained by Allah Judrio.

THE SEHAR PLATE CLASS VII DIV II 5 ½ F

Lajawab (Mr. Ghulam Dastagir Rajar) 9-0 M. Nasir 1, Over Dose 9-0 Ghulam Shabbir II, 2, Anjleena Julli 9-5 Waheed 3, Your Honour 8-6 Faisal Qamar 4.

Won by 3 ½ L, Dist, Dist. Time One minute 10 2/5 seconds. Winner trained by Sufi Mohammad Ayub.

THE SINDH RIVER CUP CLASS VII DIV V-A 4 ½ F

Eager Saint (Syed Sadruddin Shah) 8-10(cr8-7) Pervaiz Ali 1, Cake 9-0 Rehan Ahmed 2, Ice Blue 8-6 M. Yousuf 3, Shah Pari 9-1 Arshad 4.

Won by 2 L, 4 L, ¾ L. Time 59 4/5 seconds. Winner trained by M. Rafiq K.

THE SEHAR PLATE CLASS VII DIV IV-B 4 ½ F

Shahzadi (Mr. Asghar Mehmood Baig)9-0 Waseem 1, Queen Annie 8-7 Abdul Aziz II, 2, Dream Queen 8-11(cr8-6) A.Ahmed 3, Udham 9-0 Rehan Ahmed 4.

Won by 2 L, ¾ L, 3 L. Time One minute 1 1/5 seconds. Winner trained by Imam Din.

THE SEHAR PLATE CLASS VII DIV V 4 ½ F

Princess Rozi (Rana Zahid Anwar)9-0 Saqib 1, Canon Fire 9-3 M. Manzoor 2, For Me 9-2(cr8-11) Rehan Ahmed 3, Baba Makrani 8-4(cr8-1) Abdul Mutlib 4.

Won by 3 ½ L, 1 ½ L, ¾ L. Time One minute 1 1/5 seconds. Winner trained by Ramzan A.

THE SINDH PLATE FOR UNKNOWN HORSES 4 ½ F

Guru Manter (Mr. Murtaza Mirza) 8-6 Fahim K 1, Golden Prize 8-9 Waseem 2, Millan Saar 8-6 M. Amjad 3, Nice Shot 7-10 Abdul Mutlib 4.

Won by 2 L, 5 L, 3 L. Time One minute 2 3/5 seconds. Winner trained by M. Shahzad.