Borrowdale Park’s impressive veterans, Coachella and What A Dandy, will meet again in Saturday’s 1000m Sunshine Cup – and only the brave will want to oppose either of them.

Racing returns to Borrowdale Park after a 9-week break.  This is the first meeting of our 2022/23 racing season. Fans will be delighted to be back at the course – and I suspect they will concentrate on fun rather than form this time.

Only four runners are due to take part in the Sunshine Cup – which has the makings of a match race between Coachella and What A Dandy – unless LoveTo Bluff, with his significant weight advantage, decides to come to the party.

This is a race where one can only assume the fittest horse, on the day, will win.

1 (1) COACHELLA (9g) 62 kgs (MR105) – 11 wins from 1000m – 1260m incl. the 2017 HRIB Gold Cup (GR3), and the 2021 Swift Gold Cup (GR 3).

Coachella’s last start was in an 1100m Pinnacle Plate 105 on 20 March in soft going.  What A Dandy (58 kgs) won the race by 6 lengths from Mr Greenlight (58kgs), closely followed by Coachella (62kgs), then Love To Bluff (58kgs) a long way back.  Considering the soft going and the turnaround in weights on Saturday we can’t read too much into that.

Owner:  Mr J Koumides, Breeder: Prof I M Sanne, Trainer: Bridget Stidolph, Jockey T Gould.

Breeding: Alado (GB) – Festive Event by Camden Park (USA).

2 (2) WHAT A DANDY (8g) 62kgs (MR105) – 15 wins from 1000m – 1800m including the 2021 Hachiman Sprint over 1100m, the 2022 Independence Trophy over 1600m and the 1450m Breeders Sprint on 31 July. That day Mr Greenlight and Love To Bluff, meeting the winner at level weights, did not shine.  

Owner:  Mr J Koumides, Breeder: Barton Hall Stud, Trainer: Debra Swanson, Jockey N Takawira.

Breeding: Just As Well (USA) – Leba (IRE) by King’s Best (USA).

 3 (4) LOVE TO BLUFF (6g) 56 kgs (MR93) – 8 wins from 1000m -1500m but a 1000m specialist who has beaten both Coachella and What A Dandy over this distance, with weight on his side.

Owners: Messrs R S Dyer, S N Buchan, N Evans, M K Chant, G de Jong, A Dixon, R Morgan, R Sherwood, G Carter & Mrs P J Lewis, Breeder: Millstream Farm, Trainer:  Bridget Stidolph, Jockey M Thackeray.

Breeding: Judpot (USA) – Casa Nostra by Strike Smartly (CAN).

4 (3) MR GREENLIGHT (7g) 54 kgs (MR87) – 7 wins, 6 of which were over 1600m, but he won a 1000m Graduation Plate in August 2020. He carried 58 kgs then and beat Gladstone who was giving away 2 kgs.

Owner:  Messrs G Goksel & B M McLauchlan, Breeder: Nadeson Park Stud, Trainer: Vanessa Birketoft. Jockey M Josi.

Breeding: Gimmethegreenlight (AUS) – Rakara by Rakeen (USA). 

Photographs: Zimbabwe Equine News