KARACHI, May 3: Jugni, a thoroughbred chestnut from Strides by Strides out of Without Fear, is on course to complete her hat trick for her owner M.R. Hussain, when the Summer Gymkhana Meeting gets underway on Sunday at the Karachi Racecourse.
Ridden by Tariq Mehmood in her last two outings, the chestnut is now participating in a much better class of contenders hailing from Division One right down to Division Four.
However, Jugni has been improving with every run which surely stands her in good stead.
In an exciting race which should bring down the curtain on the afternoon’s programme, Jugni will be challenged for five furlong journey by the bay colt Donatello with Mega Hit grabbing the third slot from Show Time.
All in all eight events have been drawn up on the racing card, all going over the sprinting distance of five furlongs.
The first race begins at 1.00 p.m.
If all goes well, jockey Tariq should have another winner in Shah Khan, a bay four-year-old colt, going all out to complete his fourth straight victory over owner Mohammad Ali Khan in the fifth event.
Shah Khan winning his last three races very impressively, will this time have to work up a sweat with Sapno Ki Rani, Ceaser’s Palace, Mah Sagar, not to mention stable companion Khan Baba joining the fray.
In the first race of the afternoon, Law Of Nature is fancied to steal the honours, with Powerful Tarzan and Black Gift, picking up the place chances.
Although Ustadon Ka Ustad tends to swerve towards the opposite direction when the race begins, the seven-year-old chestnut horse has performed satisfactorily in his morning exercises.
If Ustadon Ka Ustad has now improved on his manners, the chestnut should win the next race hands down from another sprinter Raysham and Rukhsar.
Auzy let down the supporters once again last Sunday when beaten soundly by Little Sunny and Trust Again.
Contesting in the third race of the afternoon, Auzy has the ability to pick up the spoils this time, but then again, a stiff challenge will come from the likes of Tipu Fight and Striker.
In the next event, Bull Dancer if ticking should register another triumph for Naeemuddin, with young apprentice rider Tariq Baran in the saddle.
Fighting for the place chances in this big field of 17 runners will be Mark and Lucky Lover, both chickens in the weights.
In the sixth event, owner M. Ashraf Kothari has two contenders in the race the bay colt Keen Winner and the chestnut colt Strike The Gold. Any of these two could win this race.
However, although going three pounds heavier, this column fancies the Tanuf-Bold A Maiden sibling to get the better of the Strides By Strides-Aie Chutti sibling, with another Tanuf sibling Sweet Emotions out of O Moon, grabbing the third spot.
The seventh race has only seven runners in contention and the bay colt Micky Mikado II has the speed to overcome the likes of Irfan Mehdi’s chestnut colt Defence Academy.
Following is the field and our selections:
SAWAT PLATE CLASS IX DIV G-V 5F
Black Gift 9-0, Law Of nature 8-11, Powerful Tarzan 8-11, Eye Catcher 8-10, Rolling Thunder 8-8, Super Boy 8-4, Royal Promise 8-2,My Baboo 8-2, Darbari Malang 8-1, Shehroz-e-Sehar 8-0 and Millennium Era 7-10.
Win: Law Of Nature
Place: Powerful Tarzan & Black Gift.
SAWAT PLATE CLASS IX DIV G-14 5F
Fizza 9-0, Racing Leader 9-0, Clever Cat 8-12, Ustadon Ka Ustad 8-11, Venus Arrow 8-8, Much Better 8-5, Raysham 8-4, Splendid Winner 8-2, Genuine Risk 8-2, Rukhsar 8-1, Royal Beauty 8-0, Lawrence Of Arabia 8-0 and Dauntless 7-11.
Win: Ustadon Ka Ustad
Place: Raysham & Rukhsar.
SAWAT PLATE CLASS IX DIV G-III 5F
Dr. Dre 9-0, Prism Of Life 8-13, Afzaal Prince 8-12, Tipu Fight 8-11, Auzy 8-10, Khas ul Khas 8-9, Noble Princess 8-9, Gold Dawn 8-9, Striker 8-5, Your Pleasure 8-5, White Falcon House 8-5, Bye Bye 8-4, Daru 8-2, Grey Boy 8-2, High Speed 8-2, Yaqoob Choice 8-2 and Winning Streak 8-1.
Win: Auzy
Place: Tipu Fight & Striker.
SAWAT PLATE CLASS IX DIV G-II 5F
Jaguar 9-2, Just In Fun 8-7, Bang Man 8-6, Trust Me 8-6, Bank Manager 8-5, Silver City 8-5, Brook Star 8-5, Bull Dancer 8-4, Thousand Up 8-4, Touch Of Joy 8-4, Waqas Aiya 8-4, Visitor 8-2, Pearl 8-2, National Lining 8-1, Mark 7-13, Your Opinion 7-13 and Lucky Lover 7-12.
Win: Bull Dancer
Place: Mark & Lucky Lover.
SAWAT PLATE CLASS IX DIV G-I 5F
Romantic Champ 9-0, Pehlwan Choice 8-11, Prosmatic 8-11, Quick Mover 8-10, Mcgrath 8-10, Khan Baba, Robalto Carloes Fan 8-8, Mah Sagar 8-7, Shah Khan 8-6, Son Of None 8-5, Sapno Ki Rani 8-4, Shimmering Sea 8-2, Burning Sky 8-1, Jiyo 8-0, Dusthiyan 8-0, Sonia (Late Bright Future) 8-0, Ceaser’s Palace 7-13 and Sajan Black 7-12.
Win: Shah Khan
Place: Sapno Ki Rani & Ceaser’s Palace.
SAWAT PLATE CLASS IX DIV VII 5F
Love Land 9-3, Keen Winner 9-1, Mera Jugnoo 9-1, Royal Lancer 9-0, Reliable 9-0, Deniro 9-0, Strike The Gold 8-12, Sweet Emotions 8-12, Flying Bird 8-11, Shamsul Queen, Shining Steel 8-11, Wicked Game 8-8, Decent Gold 8-7, Great Bakht 8-0, Play With Fire 7-13, Golden Voice 7-12 Roll Gold 7-12 and Your Honour 7-11.
Win: Keen Winner
Place: Strike The Gold & Sweet Emotion.
SAWAT PLATE CLASS IX DIV V & VI 5F
High Standard 9-2, Micky Mikado II 8-7, Sarazen 8-7, Defence Academy 7-12, Order Of The Day 7-10, Maharaja 7-9 and General Charm 7-10.
Win: Micky Mikado II
Place: Defence Academy.
SAWAT PLATE CLASS IX DIV I, II, III 7 IV 5F
My Freedom 9-13, Charkh Bareen 9-11, Al Ashia 9-1, Jugni 8-4, Donatello 8-3, Mega Hit 8-0, Bold Commander 8-0 and Show Time 7-8.
Win: Jugni
Place: Donatello & Mega Hit.
DAY’S BEST: Jugni
GOOD DOUBLE: Bull Dancer & Shah Khan.