All seems set for a great day at Borrowdale Park on Saturday. It is the first meeting of the 2019/20 racing season – the inaugural running of the 2700m Sunshine Cup – plus some partying with the Parlotones, but more about that later.

The first race is off at 12.25pm and the main event, last race of the day, and worth RTGS$ 30 000, is at 16 30.  The six runners in the Sunshine Cup will enter the stalls near the stands – so an opportunity to watch the start up close and comfortable.

There are eight races on the card and finding winners after the annual racing break requires some thought, plenty of guesswork, and a little bit of luck.  The course was scarified during the break and the Mashonaland Turf Club have been watering the turf as much as possible under existing circumstances.  Hopefully, the going will be good, but it wouldn’t hurt to arrange a rain dance.

There are two outright stayers in the 2700m event – Arte and Rawedge – and I will be disappointed if they are not involved in the finish.  Kirk Swanson trains Arte, and Heir Line, while Thomas Mason will saddle Rawedge. 

Former Castle Tankard winner, Roman Discent, and Leven Point, represent Bridget Stidolph’s yard. Gokhan Terzi and Assistant Trainer Vanessa Birketoft will be looking for an upbeat performance from Master ’n Commander….and the question is who sets the pace for a true run race?

I will not even attempt to answer that. And, I have to say … the smaller the field the bigger the upset…but I’m joking, of course.

There are other thought-provoking contests on Saturday’s card where several runners appear to be evenly matched. The Borrowdale tipsters may struggle a bit later in the week.

For all the details about Saturday’s entertainment and tickets visit  https://www.facebook.com/HiddenCulture/ or http://hiddenculture.paynow.co.zw/event-registration/ today.

This fun festival begins on Saturday from 11 am.

Photograph by Zimbabwe Equine News