KARACHI, April 5: Already with two straight victories in the bag, the grey mare Blue’s Night is on course for a splendid hat trick, when the Winter Gymkhana Meeting gets under way at the Karachi Racecourse on Sunday.
Participating in the seventh race with eight events on the card, Blue’s Night to be piloted once again by Kashif Ali, should sprint to victory over the five furlong journey, chased home by Sarazan and Knight Fighter, to enable the rider along with owner Ashok and trainer Mohammad Rafiq share in the celebrations.
All in all a card of eight events, all going over the sprinting distance of five furlongs is on the afternoon’s racing programme.
The first race begins at 1.00 p.m.
Another runner that should win hands down on Sunday is the eight-year- old chestnut gelding One Touch, working well in the mornings exercises. Contesting in the fourth race in a big field of 17 runners, One Touch with a good rider astride, should cross the winning post ahead of Ford Mustang and Mark.
The same could be said about M.R. Hussain’s chestnut filly Jugni running in the concluding event along with 15 other runners.
Last week Jugni finished second by two and half lengths to High Standard, after both were engaged in a keen tussle for supremacy when heads turned for home.
Jugni however, will have to work up a sweat in overcoming last week’s winner Hamza Saheb and the chestnut colt Captain Crash.
In the opening event, the bay gelding Law Of Nature, although playing truant with the racing fans in his last few outings, is once again fancied to pick up the spoils from Racing Leader and Neeli Nighain, with Royal Wisdom and Sweet Senorita joining the fray.
Chestnut Ustadon Ka Ustad partnered by Ashraf Kamal registered a convincing victory last week, overcoming the likes of Rukhsar, Neeli Nighahain and Royal Beauty on the way to victory. If called upon, Ustadon Ka Ustad could do the trick once again, edging out Shah Khan and Noor-un-Nisa in the second race.
In the following event, the seven-year-old chestnut Daru is on the hat trick trail, winning his last two outings with riding boy Zahoor Ahmed in the saddle.
Although Daru will be going all out to silence his critics to make it three winners on the trot, Bye Bye could upset the applecart with Silent Fire grabbing the third spot.
In a big field of 18 runners in the fifth race, a keen tussle for honours is expected from Khan Baba, Ray Of Light and last week’s winner Sachin. If all goes well, Khan Baba bringing out his best, should pip Ray Of Light and Sachin.
The sixth race on the afternoon’s programme has 13 runners, all maidens at the time of starting. Since none of these competitors have won a race to date it will be extremely difficult to predict the winner and the two place chances emerging from this race.
Following is the field and our selections:
SIBI PLATE CLASS IX DIV G-V 5F
Neeli Nighain 9-1, Racing Leader 9-0, Law Of Nature 9-0, Powerful Tarzan 8-13, Shining Rock 8-13, Royal Wisdom 8-12, Sweet Senorita 8-12, Royal Promise 8-10, Sunday Silence 8-9, Darbari Malang 8-9, Royal Beauty 8-8, Rolling Thunder 8-8, The Messenger 8-8, Lucky Love 8-7 and Millennium Era 7-10.
Win: Law Of Nature
Place: Racing Leader & Neeli Nighain.
SIBI PLATE CLASS IX DIV G-IV 5F
Dil Fareb 9-0, Ustdon Ka Ustad 8-12, Striker 8-11, Jubilant Action 8-8, Noor un Nisa 8-6, Shah Khan (Late Prince Naeem) 8-5, Eye Catcher 8-3, Royal Honest 8-1, Tipu Fight 8-1, Rukhsar 8-0, Gharnata 8-0, Lightening Arrow 8-0, Major Dandy 8-0 and Present Will 7-12.
Win: Ustadon Ka Ustad
Place: Shah Khan & Noor un Nisa.
SIBI PLATE CLASS IX DIV G-III 5F
Canon Again 9-0, Yaqoob Choice 9-0, Daru 9-0, The Prince Zeeshan 8-13, Bye Bye 8-12, Victory Princess 8-10, Silent Fire 8-8, Bull Dancer 8-8, Fizza 8-8, Clever Cat 8-6, Rich Valiant 8-5, Savero 8-4, Much Better 8-3, Raysham 8-2, Venus Arrow 8-2, Afzaal Prince 8-1, Little Sunny 7-12 and Lawrence Of Arabia 7-11.
Win: Bye Bye
Place: Daru & Silent Fire.
SIBI PLATE CLASS IX DIV G-III 5F
Lover’s Line 9-1, Gold Down 8-12, Trust You 8-12, Arab King 8-10, Black Door Man 8-9, Baby Raysham 8-9, Prism Of Life 8-8, Noble Princess 8-8, Ford Mustang 8-5, One Touch 8-4, White Falcon House 8-2, Mark 8-1, Lucky Lover 8-0, Passion Queen 8-0, Auzy 7-12, Grey Boy 7-12 and High Speed 7-11, Win: One Touch Place: Ford Mustang & Mark.
SIBI PLATE CLASS IX DIV G-I 5F
Flying Bird 9-3, Tennyson 9-2, Nawab 9-0, Sachin 8-11, Mera Jugnoo 8-11, Ray Of Light 8-9, Khan Baba (Late Naeem Touch) 8-8, Bang Man 8-6, Silver City 8-6, Superb Star 8-6, Just In Fun 8-5, Surprise Again 8-3, Brooke Star 8-2, Thousand Up 8-2, Sweet Grandy 8-1, Delta Song 7-13, National Lining 7-12 and Visitor 7-11.
Win: Khan Baba
Place: Ray Of Light & Sachin.
SIBI PLATE CLASS IX DIV VII-B 5F
Reliable 9-2, Grey Flight 9-2, Fellow The Leader 9-0, Yellow River 9-0, Play With Fire 8-10, Rold Gold 8-8, Metro 8-7, Maha Raja 8-7, Shamsul Queen 8-7, Prosmatic 8-4, Robalto Carloes Fan 8-4, McGrath 8-2, and Jiyo 7-11.
NO SELECTION FOR THIS RACE.
SIBI PLATE CLASS IX DIV VII-A 5F
Knight Fighter 9-2, Micky Micado II 9-0, Sarazan 8-13, Blue’s Night 8-10, the Shoaib 8-10, Al Chemy 8-8, Midnight Madness 8-8, Sweet Emotion 8-8, Royal Lancer 8-4, Maha Sagar 8-4, Champion Lady 8-2, Great Bakht 8-2, Sapno Ki Rani 8-2 and Golden Voice 8-1.
Win: Blue’s Night
Place: Sarazan & Knight Fighter.
SIBI PLATE CLASS IX DIV V & VI 5F
Donatello 9-5, Laurel 9-3, Captain Crash 9-0, Snake Eyed 8-8, Deniro 8-8, Jugni 8-7, Order Of The Day 8-4, Wonder Thunder 8-4, Welcome Shahtab 8-3, Inferno 8-2, X’tasy 8-0, Hamza Saheb 7-12, Love Land 7-11, Prince Of Arabia 7-10, Rashmee 8-9 and Free Lancer 7-8. Win: Jugni Place: Hamza Saheb & Captain Crash.
DAY’S BEST: Blue’s Night
GOOD DOUBLE: One Touch - Jugni.