Twelve horses have stood their ground to run in the $50 000 Castle Tankard over 2000m at Borrowdale Park on Saturday.

As the MTC chose not to supply me with either the Nominations or the Weights & Draws for Zimbabwe’s ‘big one’, and certainly not the Final Field in the usual format, my information is sketchy. It would have been non-existent if a kind person had not sent me a photograph (via WhatsApp) of a board displayed when the Final Field was announced last week, which showed the acceptors, weights and draws, two jockeys, and scribbled opening betting.

Be that as it may, I am sure Saturday’s Castle Tankard will be, as always, a great race.

Drawn in stalls 1 to 6 are Admirals Chance (52), Tradition (52), Holy Land (58.5), Majestic Warrior (52), Raffles (58), and Wantage (54.5).

Jacky Sparrow (52 kgs) is drawn 12, Dindingwe (56 kgs) 11, and topweight Brianna (60 kgs) is drawn 10. Citrusdal (drawn 9) carries 55.

Raymond Danielson is down to ride Holy Land, and Morgen Nyamagwete is on Jacky Sparrow. It has been stated by George Crowther, on Facebook, that Gavin Lerena is coming to Borrowdale to ride in the Tankard. George is reliable so let’s hope he is right.

According to the betting on the photographed board, the most fancied runners are likely to be Ideal View (59kgs and drawn 8) and Raffles (58kgs), followed by Raining Again (52kgs, drawn 7)) and Majestic Warrior (52kgs).

Apologies to anyone who visits this site or my Facebook pages, hoping to find the Tankard field in the usual format. Fortunately, I have been able to post Saturday’s minor fields in the usual manner.

Borrowdale newcomer, Raffles, added spice to the 1200m Pinnacle Plate 105 on Saturday, coming with a strong late run to beat Wantage by half a length, followed by Tradition, and Holy Land.

Raffles previously raced in Gauteng and this was his 20^th start. By Time Thief (AUS) and out of a Trippi mare, he has now won three races from 1000m to 2000m, and been placed 12 times. Raffles’ next start is likely to be in the Castle Tankard, and he was bred by Hemel ‘n Aarde Stud.   

Congratulations to trainer Bridget Stidolph, winning rider  Nathan Klink, and Raffles’ new owners Messrs A Dixon, R S Dyer, S N Buchan, N Evans, G de Jong, M K Chant, Bryn Ressell and R Sherwood.

Photographs by Zimbabwe Equine News.

Come Racing at Borrowdale Park today..the first race is at 12 noon, and all the relevant information is posted on this site.

Buster Barnes has won two legs of Zimbabwe’s Triple Crown and his proud owners, the Centaur Syndicate, will now be hoping, and probably praying, that their three-year-old champion will manage to add one more.

On Sunday the 7^th of April 2024 the Erupt (IRE) gelding walked off with the Zimbabwe 2000 at Borrowdale Park, and next up will be the real test of stamina – the 2400m Zimbabwe Derby, the last leg of the Triple Crown.

Trained by Debra Swanson and with Deryl Daniels in the irons, Buster Barnes (bred by Millstream Farm) finished two lengths ahead of his stable companion, Follow The Band. The filly, Trust Me, led for most of the 2000m trip but faded in the last 200m.

Congratulations to all the winning connections! 

Photographs by Zimbabwe Equine News

Brianna, now the winner of 10 races, won the 2024 Independence Trophy, over 1600m, at Borrowdale Park on Sunday afternoon.

By Legislate, the six-year-old mare is owned by Robyn Macleod, trained by her father Gavin Macleod, and the winning rider was Kaidan Brewer. Congratulations to the winning connections, and this includes the breeders, Collins Stud Farm.

Brianna beat Wantage by 1.25 lengths, then came Bugatti Blue and Holy Land.

Photographs by Zimbabwe Equine News.

Unless there is a hang-up I am unaware of, it is hard to look further than Holy Land for the 1600m Independence Trophy at Borrowdale Park this Sunday.

The 8-year-old Ideal World (USA) gelding is a multiple winner of 1600m events, including the Independence Trophy, and with 56 kgs on his back he should be hard to beat. He will be receiving weight from Jet Mirage and Brianna, but perhaps Bugatti Blue (55kgs) and Wantage (54kgs) should be considered.

Both finished behind Holy Land in the 1600m Ipi Tombe Stakes (L) in February 2023 at level weights.  Wantage was a very close second while Bugatti Blue (third) was much further back.

Of course, Jet Mirage and Brianna are not without a prayer.  Jet Mirage, Brianna and Holy Land finished very close together in the recent 2024 Ipi Tombe Stakes – but the turnaround in weights on Sunday worries me.

Photograph by Zimbabwe Equine News: Holy Land and Wantage have had tight tussles before…

Buster Barnes has already won the first leg of Zimbabwe’s Triple Crown, the Zimbabwe Guineas, and at Borrowdale Park on Sunday the 7^th of April 2024, the Erupt gelding aims to win the second leg, the Zimbabwe 2000.

Sunday’s field is identical to the 2024 Guineas line-up. Buster Barnes handled that 1600m trip with ease, beating Trust Me by five lengths.  The question is which of the runners  will best handle an extra 400m?

BUSTER BARNES 3g 58kgs. By Erupt (IRE) – Servilia by Caesour (USA). Daniels – Swanson.    Has won 4 of his 6 starts from 1000m to 1600m. Winner of the 1600m Zimbabwe Guineas beating Trust Me by several lengths. Placed second to Nandine (who was receiving 1.5 kgs) in a 1700m MR 76 Handicap in December.

FOLLOW THE BAND 3c 58 kgs. By Vercingetorix – Jo Piper by Goldkeeper (USA). Mxoli – Swanson. Won a 1450m Maiden Plate in December, finishing 2 lengths clear of the filly Trust Me (receiving 3 kgs).  Placed third in the recent Zimbabwe Guineas and attempted 1800m in December when well beaten by Duchess Of War.

PAIR OF ACES 3g 58 kgs. By Potala Palace – Lucky Hand by Tamburlaine (IRE).  Klink – Mason.  Won a 1260 Maiden Plate in November in a close finish with Follow The Band.  Placed fourth in the 1600m Zimbabwe Guineas. Has yet to try further.

TRUST ME 3f 55.5 kgs. By Mambo In Seattle (USA) – Would I Lie To You by A.P. Answer (USA). Brewer – Mason. Finished 5 lengths off Buster Barnes in the Guineas and won a 1600m Maiden Plate in January, finishing well clear of Jumped A Red.

Photographs by Zimbabwe Equine News.

The Mashonaland Turf Club has today advised that the 22nd of March 2024 race meeting has been cancelled due to Local Condition 3f.

Dindingwe, owned by Mr C M & Mrs E B Shepherd and Mr C G & Mrs K M Bonthrone, C J Danckwerts, G M Littleford, S H Murray and P C Rugg, won the 2000m Breeders Champions Cup (L) at Borrowdale Park on Sunday 10 March 2024.

The six-year-old daughter of Futura is trained by Debra Swanson and Jeffery Syster was riding. She was bred by Ndoro Stud and has now won 11 races. Dindingwe must have given her connections a few anxious moments when initially she was reluctant to load – but all’s well that ends well.

Wantage, who won this race in 2023, was second, three lengths behind.

Congratulations everyone.

Photographs by Zimbabwe Equine News.

The first race at Borrowdale Park today is off at 12:00 and please check the Menu on this site for all the relevant information, including a link for the livestream on Formgrids.

Entry to the course is free.

In 2021 Dindingwe won the 2000m Pioneers & Heroes Tankard.

Wantage, by Ato out of a Tamburlaine (IRE) mare, won the 2000m Breeders Champions Cup (L) last year, getting the better of True Beauty, and he is due to defend his title at Borrowdale Park on Sunday.

However, there are no pushovers here. Citrusdal has won 12 races and the rest of the field 10 races each.

Holy Land will carry 60 kgs and must be considered although he might prefer a slightly shorter trip, never having won beyond 1800m. He is by Ideal World (USA) out of Lalibela by Silvano (GER).

Both Citrusdal and Wantage will carry 56 kgs. By Duke Of Marmalade (IRE) out of Key Bluff by Qui Danzig (USA), Citrusdal has won up to 2000m, and on 14 January Citrusdal beat Dindingwe by 3.50 lengths over Sunday’s trip when receiving 2.5 kgs. There is a turnaround in weights now.

Dindingwe is a proven stayer and is set to carry 53.5 kgs on Sunday. She won the 2000m Pioneers & Heroes Tankard in 2021 beating Wantage by 5 lengths. Her most recent victory was on December 2 when she won the 2700m Pinnacle Plate (90) trouncing Tigers Eagle (receiving 6 kgs) by 5 lengths. This 6-year-old mare is by Futura out of a Jallad (USA) mare.

This has the makings of a great race and I have no idea who will win it!

Photograph by Laurent Viguie: Dindingwe winning the 2021 Pioneers & Heroes Tankard with Rodgers Satombo in the irons.

Four of the six races at Borrowdale Park on Saturday were cliffhangers, with the leading two runners finishing within half a length of each other.

Zimbabwe Guineas winner Buster Barnes and the three-year-old filly, New Galaxy, were the exceptions.

Trained by Tom Mason and with Kaidan Brewer in the irons, New Galaxy won her third start, a 1200m Maiden Plate, by three lengths. The daughter of New Predator (AUS) out of a Judpot (USA) mare, is owned by Mesdames A G Mason, Edith Tapfuma, S P Moyo and Mr G Tafeni, Mr D T Machingaidze and Dr Ronald Mhizha. She was bred by Tawny Syndicate.

Congratulations to all the winning connections.

Photographs by Zimbabwe Equine News.