Raffles has won the 2024 Castle Tankard (GR1) run over 2000m at Borrowdale Park – and what a ride by Gavin Lerena!
Congratulations to the owners, Messrs A Dixon, R S Dyer, S N Buchan, N Evans, G de Jong, M K Chant, Bryn Ressell, and R Sherwood, as well as trainer Bridget Stidolph.
Photo for second place.
By Time Thief (Aus), Raffles was bred by Hemel ‘n Aarde Stud.
Photograph: Zimbabwe Equine News
Zimbabwe has another Triple Crown winner.
Buster Barnes trained by Debra Swanson and ridden by Deryl Daniels won the 2400m Coca-Cola Zimbabwe Derby at Borrowdale Park this afternoon.
Congratulations to the winning trainer and jockey and to the owners, the Centaur Syndicate (nominee Craig Danckwerts). Buster Barnes was bred by Millstream Farm.
Very well done!
Photograph: Zimbabwe Equine News.
Victory in Saturday’s 2400m Zimbabwe Derby is all Buster Barnes has to achieve to join the illustrious band of Triple Crown winners.
Debra Swanson’s charge has already won the first two legs of the Triple Crown – the 1600m Zimbabwe Guineas and the Zimbabwe 2000. However, it is not all over bar the shouting as the son of Erupt has yet to race further than 2000m. None of the 2024 Derby entrants have faced such a test of stamina so – a very interesting race.
1 3 BUSTER BARNES 58.0 (MR86) – D Daniels – Debra Swanson.
By Erupt (IRE) – Servilia by Caesour (USA) – has won 5 of his 7 starts including the 1600m
Zimbabwe Guineas and the Zimbabwe 2000 (the first two legs of Zimbabwe’s Triple Crown). The 2400m Zimbabwe Derby is the third leg and it all rests on whether Buster Barnes can handle this testing trip.
2 2 FOLLOW THE BAND 58.0 (MR56) – J R Syster – Debra Swanson.
By Vercingetorix – Jo Piper by Goldkeeper (USA) – one-time winner mostly well held by Buster Barnes in his last three starts but only two lengths off him in the Zimbabwe 2000. Will Follow The Band prefer more ground?
3 5 PAIR OF ACES 58.0 (MR50) – K A Brewer – Thomas Mason.
Potala Palace – Lucky Hand by Tamburlaine (IRE) – has beaten Follow The Band over 1260m but was behind both Buster Barnes and Follow The Band in the Zimbabwe Guineas (his last start).
4 4 SIMON’S WORLD 58.0 (MR0) – J Penny – Bridget Stidolph.
Ideal World (USA) – Simona by Gimmethegreenlight (AUS) – the son of Zimbabwe champion racemare Simona. Unplaced in both his starts but could be anything. One can’t fault the breeding.
5 1 EMMA OF NORMANDY 54.5 (MR40) – R Danielson +1.5 – Amy Parham.
By William Longsword – Ice Pageant by National Emblem – won a 1450 Maiden Plate on April 21, and Saturday’s runners Jumped A Red and Simon’s World were also in that race.
6 6 JUMPED A RED 54.5 (MR36) – N Klink – Bridget Stidolph.
By Canford Cliffs (IRE) – Light Chaser by Gimmethegreenlight (AUS) – still a maiden but don’t write any of the runners off over this ‘unknown’ distance.
Photographs: Zimbabwe Equine News
Celebrated South African jockey, Gavin Lerena, will be riding Raffles for Bridget Stidolph in the 2000m $50 000 Castle Tankard at Borrowdale Park on Saturday,
It has been a long time, but Gavin has ridden at Borrowdale Park before. The photograph above was taken by Gavin Macleod in 2014 – unfortunately, I can’t say what Lerena and Flintstone were winning way back in December 2014 – finding out would take too much time.
At last, the Final Tankard field, with jockeys, has been published, and bidding should be brisk at Thursday evening’s Card Call. So start studying.
In 2023 the Castle Tankard was won by Ideal View with Nathan Klink riding. Ideal View steps out again on Saturday -carrying a lot more weight. Dindingwe, Down To Business and Raining Again filled the minor Tankard places in 2023 – and Dindingwe and Raining Again are also ready to try again.
The Final Field for the 2024 Castle Tankard, to be run over 2000m at Borrowdale Park on Saturday, has now been posted on this site.
Twelve horses have stood their ground to run in the $50 000 Castle Tankard over 2000m at Borrowdale Park on Saturday.
As the MTC chose not to supply me with either the Nominations or the Weights & Draws for Zimbabwe’s ‘big one’, and certainly not the Final Field in the usual format, my information is sketchy. It would have been non-existent if a kind person had not sent me a photograph (via WhatsApp) of a board displayed when the Final Field was announced last week, which showed the acceptors, weights and draws, two jockeys, and scribbled opening betting.
Be that as it may, I am sure Saturday’s Castle Tankard will be, as always, a great race.
Drawn in stalls 1 to 6 are Admirals Chance (52), Tradition (52), Holy Land (58.5), Majestic Warrior (52), Raffles (58), and Wantage (54.5).
Jacky Sparrow (52 kgs) is drawn 12, Dindingwe (56 kgs) 11, and topweight Brianna (60 kgs) is drawn 10. Citrusdal (drawn 9) carries 55.
Raymond Danielson is down to ride Holy Land, and Morgen Nyamagwete is on Jacky Sparrow. It has been stated by George Crowther, on Facebook, that Gavin Lerena is coming to Borrowdale to ride in the Tankard. George is reliable so let’s hope he is right.
According to the betting on the photographed board, the most fancied runners are likely to be Ideal View (59kgs and drawn 8) and Raffles (58kgs), followed by Raining Again (52kgs, drawn 7)) and Majestic Warrior (52kgs).
Apologies to anyone who visits this site or my Facebook pages, hoping to find the Tankard field in the usual format. Fortunately, I have been able to post Saturday’s minor fields in the usual manner.
Borrowdale newcomer, Raffles, added spice to the 1200m Pinnacle Plate 105 on Saturday, coming with a strong late run to beat Wantage by half a length, followed by Tradition, and Holy Land.
Raffles previously raced in Gauteng and this was his 20th start. By Time Thief (AUS) and out of a Trippi mare, he has now won three races from 1000m to 2000m, and been placed 12 times. Raffles’ next start is likely to be in the Castle Tankard, and he was bred by Hemel ‘n Aarde Stud.
Congratulations to trainer Bridget Stidolph, winning rider Nathan Klink, and Raffles’ new owners Messrs A Dixon, R S Dyer, S N Buchan, N Evans, G de Jong, M K Chant, Bryn Ressell and R Sherwood.
Photographs by Zimbabwe Equine News.
Come Racing at Borrowdale Park today..the first race is at 12 noon, and all the relevant information is posted on this site.
Buster Barnes has won two legs of Zimbabwe’s Triple Crown and his proud owners, the Centaur Syndicate, will now be hoping, and probably praying, that their three-year-old champion will manage to add one more.
On Sunday the 7th of April 2024 the Erupt (IRE) gelding walked off with the Zimbabwe 2000 at Borrowdale Park, and next up will be the real test of stamina – the 2400m Zimbabwe Derby, the last leg of the Triple Crown.
Trained by Debra Swanson and with Deryl Daniels in the irons, Buster Barnes (bred by Millstream Farm) finished two lengths ahead of his stable companion, Follow The Band. The filly, Trust Me, led for most of the 2000m trip but faded in the last 200m.
Congratulations to all the winning connections!
Photographs by Zimbabwe Equine News
Brianna, now the winner of 10 races, won the 2024 Independence Trophy, over 1600m, at Borrowdale Park on Sunday afternoon.
By Legislate, the six-year-old mare is owned by Robyn Macleod, trained by her father Gavin Macleod, and the winning rider was Kaidan Brewer. Congratulations to the winning connections, and this includes the breeders, Collins Stud Farm.
Brianna beat Wantage by 1.25 lengths, then came Bugatti Blue and Holy Land.
Photographs by Zimbabwe Equine News.
Unless there is a hang-up I am unaware of, it is hard to look further than Holy Land for the 1600m Independence Trophy at Borrowdale Park this Sunday.
The 8-year-old Ideal World (USA) gelding is a multiple winner of 1600m events, including the Independence Trophy, and with 56 kgs on his back he should be hard to beat. He will be receiving weight from Jet Mirage and Brianna, but perhaps Bugatti Blue (55kgs) and Wantage (54kgs) should be considered.
Both finished behind Holy Land in the 1600m Ipi Tombe Stakes (L) in February 2023 at level weights. Wantage was a very close second while Bugatti Blue (third) was much further back.
Of course, Jet Mirage and Brianna are not without a prayer. Jet Mirage, Brianna and Holy Land finished very close together in the recent 2024 Ipi Tombe Stakes – but the turnaround in weights on Sunday worries me.
Photograph by Zimbabwe Equine News: Holy Land and Wantage have had tight tussles before…
Buster Barnes has already won the first leg of Zimbabwe’s Triple Crown, the Zimbabwe Guineas, and at Borrowdale Park on Sunday the 7th of April 2024, the Erupt gelding aims to win the second leg, the Zimbabwe 2000.
Sunday’s field is identical to the 2024 Guineas line-up. Buster Barnes handled that 1600m trip with ease, beating Trust Me by five lengths. The question is which of the runners will best handle an extra 400m?
BUSTER BARNES 3g 58kgs. By Erupt (IRE) – Servilia by Caesour (USA). Daniels – Swanson. Has won 4 of his 6 starts from 1000m to 1600m. Winner of the 1600m Zimbabwe Guineas beating Trust Me by several lengths. Placed second to Nandine (who was receiving 1.5 kgs) in a 1700m MR 76 Handicap in December.
FOLLOW THE BAND 3c 58 kgs. By Vercingetorix – Jo Piper by Goldkeeper (USA). Mxoli – Swanson. Won a 1450m Maiden Plate in December, finishing 2 lengths clear of the filly Trust Me (receiving 3 kgs). Placed third in the recent Zimbabwe Guineas and attempted 1800m in December when well beaten by Duchess Of War.
PAIR OF ACES 3g 58 kgs. By Potala Palace – Lucky Hand by Tamburlaine (IRE). Klink – Mason. Won a 1260 Maiden Plate in November in a close finish with Follow The Band. Placed fourth in the 1600m Zimbabwe Guineas. Has yet to try further.
TRUST ME 3f 55.5 kgs. By Mambo In Seattle (USA) – Would I Lie To You by A.P. Answer (USA). Brewer – Mason. Finished 5 lengths off Buster Barnes in the Guineas and won a 1600m Maiden Plate in January, finishing well clear of Jumped A Red.
Photographs by Zimbabwe Equine News.
Racing at Borrowdale Park in Harare - Zimbabwe 