The Hachiman Sprint will be run over 1100m at Borrowdale Park on Sunday – the first race meeting in Zimbabwe in 2021.

All things being equal – but they are not – any one of the six runners could, on their day, win. The field includes two-time Gold Cup winner, Verdier, and Christofle who won the Hachiman Sprint in 2019.  Gladstone, a whisker behind Verdier in the 1200m Gold Cup on December 11, is also there, along with What A Dandy (placed in the Hachiman before), Love To Bluff and Golden Lion – who likes to surprise from time to time.

The answer might lie in the going and who can tell what that will be on Sunday?  On December 20 it was soft underfoot, penetrometer reading 29, but since then the course has had a chance to recover. However, this week Zimbabwe had been rife with flood warnings, but nothing has materialised in Harare, so far.

The first race on Sunday is at 12 15 and the Hachiman Sprint is due off at 15 55. The Borrowdale Tipsters have been asked to submit their predictions by this afternoon (Thursday) which is quite cruel in view of the uncertainty about the rain – but one must get the serious stuff out of the way early on New Year’s Eve.

The two races prior to the Hachiman are also rather mind-boggling, but once punters have recovered from their hangovers on Saturday, they will be better placed to make their selections with the help of the online Borrowdale card.

I hope every Borrowdale Park supporter enjoys the New Year celebrations and wish you all a happy and prosperous 2021.  We always know next year will be better – don’t we?