KARACHI, Jan 1: Fancied seven-year-old mare, Bang On Target, added another feather to her cap when she lifted the New Year Cup before a large audience at the Winter Gymkhana race meeting at Karachi Racecourse on Sunday. Only last Sunday, she returned with flying colours to win the Christmas Cup going over a distance of six furlongs by five lengths in 1 min 16 seconds.

Predicted to win in these columns, she has improved her performance in a week’s time winning the race by a margin of seven lengths in 1 min 15 2/5 seconds.

Occupying second slot in the shortest field of five contestants following withdrawal of Ghazan Prince was Al Faris who finished further nine lengths ahead of Captain Crash.

The victory earned a double for owner Shah Mardan Shah Pir Pagara, jockey Muhammad Essa and trainer Mumtaz Ali as in an earlier race chestnut Yes Neighbour Yes performed a hat trick after he was piloted home by Essa with a wide margin of 10 lengths.

Showing marked improvement, Bank Manager surprised all and sundry when he picked up the spoils in the opener. He had to be content with fourth position in the last meeting.

Mare Baby Tabassum and chestnut Afzaal Prince settled for the remaining two places.

Similarly, eight-year-old bay horse, Super Time, ridden by jockey M. Amjad, opened the year on an impressive note outpacing superior opponents’ in the second race. Prior to the race, he had only one victory under his belt.

Baba Jani, a four-year-old colt with Fahim K in the saddle, obliged the punters when he returned with flying colours in the third leaving Leo Again and Sonia to settle for places.

Ms Benish Hasan’s mare, Clapping, returned to form winning the sixth race of the programme by 2 ½ lengths. She was closely chased by Tag Team and Lucky View.

Four-year-old bay colt, Smarty Jones, claimed the seventh race defying all odds beating Yes Naeem and Bright And Early by two lengths and further two lengths in a poor timing of 1 minute 20 2/5 seconds.

After sprinting home Smarty Jones jockey Riaz Muhammad rode Gullu’s Government home in the very next race to earn a double.

M. R. Hussain’s four-year-old filly, Savabeel ran away with the concluding event convincingly by 10 lengths.

Trainer Mushtaq Ali Khan also had a good day as his three trained horses –Bank Manager, Smarty Jones and Gullu’s Government won the honours.

Slim Fit in the first race and Jan-e-Mehran in the third broke down and were destroyed.

Chestnut Sharp Cat and filly Hi Darling bolted away from the eighth race and withdrawn. Rider of Sharp Cat Shahid Manan was fined Rs. 10,000.

The next race meeting will be held on Jan 8.

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