KARACHI: As predicted Syed Ismail Shah’s Diamond In Dust won the Defence Day Cup contested over six furlongs with a brilliant run at the Karachi race track yesterday (Saturday).

Diamond In Dust was ridden by front line jockey Gh Shabbir II who handled the filly with precision.

In fact exactly the way we expected him to ride by not committing his mount to a senseless competition with a pacemaker in the early part of the race.

He rode Diamond In Dust as if he was following ‘The News’ instructions by keeping his mount nicely tucked up behind the front runner Stormy Kiss. It was only late in the home stretch that he gave the filly its head and it responded to his bidding to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat. Joint favourite Blossom finished third one and a half lengths behind the two.

The Nishan-e-Haider Cup was won by Moomal. In its pillar to post victory it gave its rider M Nasir the pleasure of an armchair ride beating Mannan Prince by a distance with reluctant Tyre Jee occupying third position. Place favourite Sahibzadi was hooked line and sinker to finish a poor fourth.

Both the Cup winning jockeys ended the day with a brace of winners. While Gh Shbbir started the day with a lucrative win astride Die-Na-Might in the opening event beating two joint favourites Jadu Janter and Invazor by a comfortable margin, Nasir brought the curtain down in another pillar to post victory at the expense of Sayeen Jee and Mr Mention Not.

In other races, Sweetie Pie (second race), Silver Victory (third race) and Ace Of Base (fifth race) won their respective actions with plenty to spare.

All three of them started as racing favourites and they fully justified the support they each got in the betting ring. In its victory, Sweetie Pie completed its hat-trick with yet another impressive run.