Zimbabwe Guineas winner Call The Wind will not run in the Zimbabwe 2000, second leg of Zimbabwe’s Triple Crown, at Borrowdale Park on Sunday so the field is reduced to four.

Of these Tigers Eagle and Regulate are probably the pick, but none of the runners can be discounted, as all will be racing over 2000m for the first time.

Tigers Eagle, the winner of the 1600m Tote Free Handicap, was second to Call The Wind in the recent 1800m Silver Slipper, while the lightly raced Regulate was only a quarter of a length behind Call The Wind in the 1600m Zimbabwe Guineas on March 6. This was Regulate’s first taste of racing around the turn.

Regulate and Tigers Eagle have yet to take each other on and I hesitate to predict the outcome. Tigers Eagle is extremely well-bred and has all the staying credentials, while Regulate is by Ato, the sire of Wantage who won the Zim2000 in 2020. On Sunday Rodgers Satombo will ride Tigers Eagle, and Teaque Gould is on Regulate.

The Twice Over filly Cutback’s heart goes a long way towards making up for what she lacks in size, but the winner of the 1600m Guineas Trial has been well held by Tigers Eagle previously. On Sunday Jarryd Penny has the ride.

Cutback’s stablemate, Master Ming, will have Kevin Derere on board, and thank goodness this pair have come to the party. Master Ming, by Toreador, has yet to shine over longer trips, but you know what they say about small fields and big upsets, so we shall see.

It is most unfortunate that six-time winner Call The Wind will not be part of Sunday’s line-up but in recent years the Zimbabwe 2000 has been beset by small fields. However, the end result was always memorable and exciting racing.

The connections of Sunday’s runners must be commended for their support. When the going gets tough the tough keep going and Borrowdale fans appreciate this.

Photographs by Zimbabwe Equine News