Zimbabwe-bred Tandava, by Century Stand (AUS), carries the top weight (60 kgs) in the Guineas Trial to be run over 1600m at Borrowdale Park on Sunday. The three-year-old colt is trained by Gokhan Terzi, is drawn 7 out of 8, and will be ridden by Lance Pagel.

A winner of two from four starts, Tandava (below) has quite a tough task ahead. He ran 2.75 lengths off Call Me Earl in the 1600m Tote Free Handicap and has performed well up the straight in open company.

 

TAKING ON THE BOYS

Betula Uber, the second of Gokhan Terzi’s runners here, is the only filly in the race. As a two- year-old she won the Breeders Fillies Mile in July,  then in November finished 3.50 lengths off Call Me Earl in the Tote Free Handicap, and last time out was 6.50 lengths behind Windigo over 1800m.

By Ideal World (USA) Betula Uber will carry 52 kgs, is drawn 4 and Juan Paul van der Merwe has the ride. She could surprise.

 

THIS WOULD BE COOL

The Swanson yard are pinning their hopes on the lightly raced Cool Solution. When the Mullins Bay (GB) colt takes on the other seven runners on Sunday  it will be his first race around the turn. He finished second to Master Of The Sky over 1100m, then won over 1200m, beating subsequent winner Baumgartner.

Drawn 2, Cool Solution will carry 57 kgs and have Francois Herholdt aboard – with plenty of support from his owners. If he is involved in the finish reach for the earplugs.

THINK ABOUT BULLION BAY

Bridget Stidolph will saddle four of the eight Guineas Trial runners, and this quartet includes Bullion Bay, winner of his only start in Harare.

The son of Bankable (IRE) was bred in ZImbabwe but raced six times in Gauteng from 1450m – 1600m for two places. He won a 1100m Maiden Plate at Borrowdale Park on January 16, beating a fast finishing Copper Sky by two lengths.

Bullion Bay is drawn 1, carries 58.5 kgs, and Brendon McNaughton takes the ride again.

DETENTE AN INTERESTING RUNNER

Detente, also from the Stidolph yard and another son of Bankable (IRE), is out of a Galileo (IRE) mare. The three-year-old gelding had three starts in the Western Cape from 1000m – 1600m. He won a 1300m Maiden Plate at Borrowdale in November, finishing 0.25 lengths clear of Baumgartner.

An interesting runner who is bred to do this. Fanie Chambers rides and Detente is drawn 6 and will carry 58.5kgs.

DO NOT IGNORE ROCKY ROAD

Rocky Road‘s two wins include the 1200m TBA Champage Stakes, at two, and he was fourth in the 1600m Tote Free Handicap, finishing 2.50 lengths off the winner.

He is by Soar With Eagles (USA) out of a Sobieski (USA) mare, and will jump from the number 3 starting stall. Kevin Derere will be in the irons and Rocky Road is set to carry 58.5 kgs. He is trained by Bridget Stidolph and was bred in Zimbabwe.

 

AN UNKNOWN QUANTITY

Al Salaam is an unknown quantity over the 1600m Guineas Trial trip as in his seven starts to date he has not gone beyond 1200m. As a juvenile he beat Sunday’s runner, Betula Uber, over 1000m.

The Mullins Bay (GB) gelding will be ridden by Apprentice Callan Murray, is trained by Bridget Stidolph, has the widest draw, and will carry 52kgs. We will have to wait and see. Weight often counts.

WHAT ABOUT SLICK?

Last but certainly not least, Slick shed his maiden certificate over 1800m, beating Master Of The Sky, and at the last Borrowdale Park race meeting he finished second to Windigo over the same trip. He was four lengths off Call Me Earl in the 1600m Tote Free Handicap run in November but looks to have improved since then.

By West Man (USA) this colt is trained by Amy Bronkhorst and he will carry 55.5 kgs on Sunday. Drawn 5, Slick will be ridden by Raymond Danielson..

 

Photographs: Gavin MacLeod and Zimbabwe Equine News.