When the powers that be decided to stage the 3200m Carlton Cup at Borrowdale Park for the first time in years on New Year’s Eve, I am sure they did not anticipate Harare experiencing the wettest week for quite a while.

According to the sometimes-unreliable weather prophets, the rain will cease by Saturday.  I hope they are right.

None of the four runners who have stood their ground have raced over anything approaching this distance – although Dindingwe recently covered herself with glory when winning decisively over 2700m. That day she beat Zazu by 3.50 lengths, conceding 6 kgs. On Saturday both Zazu and Regulate will receive 6 kgs from Dindingwe, while Walking Thru Time will receive 8 kgs. The possibility of a dramatic change in the going complicates things.  

Although I am a Dindingwe fan, the question is can she give away dollops of weight in heavier going, and still succeed over an extra 500m? Jeffery Syster has the ride, and six-year-old Dindingwe is by Futura out of a Jallad (USA) mare.

Wes Marwing’s mount, Zazu, has finished very close to Citrusdal over 2700m, in addition to her second to stable companion Dindingwe in the 2700m Pinnacle Plate (90) on the 2^nd of December. She is by Global View (USA) out of a Count Dubois (GB) mare and must be considered.

Over this trip the Ato gelding Regulate (Penny), and Walking Thru Time (Klink), a four-year-old filly by Jay Peg, are unknown quantities.  Regulate is out of a Silvano (GER) mare and Walking Thru Time’s dam is by Giant’s Causeway (USA) so the breeding is there. Have they been waiting to go further to really shine?  

The first race on Sunday is off at 12 noon, and the BSA Carlton Cup, last on the six-race card, at 14:55.

Meanwhile – please let the sun shine – soon.

Photographs by Zimbabwe Equine News

The next Borrowdale Park race meeting is on Sunday, 31st December 2023, and the Weights & Draws have been published. The feature race is the 3200m Carlton Cup – which has not been run for many years.

Thank you to everyone who has visited this site in 2023 – your support is appreciated – and I wish you a peaceful and happy Christmas, while gearing up for the New Year.

Gavin Macleod was busy yesterday.  He had horses to saddle at Borrowdale Park – four in fact – and went on to win three of the six races on the card, including the Flashing Numbers Champion Fillies Stakes with Brianna, and a close second with Il Combattente in the first race.

Afterwards, he compiled this collage of photographs taken during the afternoon.  How cool is that?

Congratulations Gavin – and to the owner of these runners, Robyn Macleod! Morgen Nyamagwete was in the irons.

Captive Moon won the 1600m Novice Plate and Raining Again scored in the 1100m MR 85 Handicap. Finally, the cherry on top was Brianna winning the Flashing Numbers Champion Fillies Stakes, sponsored by Axia in honour of the late John Koumides.

The Borrowdale Park race meeting on Saturday, 16 December, celebrated the life of its loyal patron, John Koumides, but with poignant moments.

JK’s family – his mother, Mrs Eleni Koumides, sister Jenny, and brother Kyrie – were honoured guests, and his beloved horse, What A Dandy, galloped past the stands, with groom Lovemore Katiya riding. The last time these famous colours would be seen at Borrowdale.

John Koumides will always be remembered, and he is already missed.

Photographs by Zimbabwe Equine News.

In form Brianna, and Obscure, Lily Blue’s sister, take on some rising stars in the Axia-sponsored 1600m Flashing Numbers Champion Fillies Stakes at Borrowdale Park on Saturday, but the two mares may not have the upper hand.

The four-year-old fillies, Jacky Sparrow, Walking Thru Time, and Zavannahgold, should make their elders run for the money. Brianna is set to carry 60 kgs and the rest of the field 52 and 50 – but Wes Marwing, on Obscure, is expected to weigh 53.5.

At the last Borrowdale meeting Obscure had a prep run up the straight, her previous start having been on the 10^th of March.

Jacky Sparrow’s last race was in June, which is the only reason why she is not getting my whole-hearted support.  

Some welcome heavy rain on Wednesday must also be considered. A change in the going could play a part in several of the interesting races on Saturday’s card. The unbeaten three-year-old Buster Barnes steps out in the What A Dandy MR 76 Divided Handicap where he takes on the likes of Regulate, Prince Of Kimberly and Qunetra over 1700m.

However, let’s not be distracted from the main race.  The field is listed below so please begin thinking. The first race on Saturday is off at 12:45.

1 BRIANNA 60.0 – M Nyamagwete – Gavin MacLeod

6yo m by Legislate – 7 wins from 1000-1260m including recent Sable Flyers (LR).

 2 SUN BIRD CARD SCRATCHING

3 JACKY SPARROW 52.0 – J R Syster – Debra Swanson

4yo f by Jackson – won 5 of her 7 starts including the 2023 Guineas Trial and 2023 Zimbabwe Guineas (Gr3). Distance suited. Rested 196 days.

4 OBSCURE 52.0 – Wes Marwing +1.5 – Bridget Stidolph

6yo m by Black Minnalouche (USA) – won 6 races from 1450 – 2200m. Prep run on 2nd December over 1260m after lengthy layoff.

5 WALKING THRU TIME 50.0 – M Thackeray 1.5 – Amy Parham

4yo f by Jay Peg. Winner of three 1600m races and a length off Jacky Sparrow in Fillies Classic.

6     ZAVANNAHGOLD 50.0 –   J Penny – Bridget Stidolph

4yo f by Var (USA) – Won 3 from 1260m – 1800m including the 2023 Silver Slipper (L) – and a close second to Jacky Sparrow in 1600m Fillies Classic.

Photographs: Zimbabwe Equine News

This Saturday at Borrowdale Park is John Koumides’ day, when his many friends will recall the good times, and celebrate the life of one of Zimbabwe racing’s most loyal supporters.

John Koumides passed away earlier this year and will be sadly missed. Successful in business, Mr Koumides owned and loved some great horses, but took the rough with the smooth, was always kind, unassuming, and approachable – and he could party!

Over the years ‘JK’ was involved with several local stables, and happy memories will be shared by people who knew him far better than I. There were dozens of photographs to choose from but this one seems to have captured a moment when everyone was feeling particularly good.

The six races on Saturday’s card are named after a few of John’s famous winners, and the feature race, the Flashing Numbers Champion Fillies Stakes, has been sponsored by the Axia Corporation Ltd.

What a wonderful mare. Dindingwe, at Borrowdale where she should be, thrilled fans when she won the 2700m Pinnacle Plate (90) on Saturday.

The former champion three-year-old, by Futura, has not previously won beyond 2000m – I never thought she could – and it was the way she won.

Jeffery Syster settled her midfield before moving up to join the leaders Coffeeberry and Zazu. Dindingwe headed them, before leading the field into the home straight, and after that, there was no catching her. She finished three lengths clear of stable companion Tigers Eagle, and then came Zazu and Coffeeberry.

The six-year-old, trained by Debra Swanson, is owned by Mr C M & Mrs E B Shepherd & Mr C G & Mrs K M Bonthrone, C J Danckwerts, G M Littleford, S H Murray, P C Rugg, P D Gorringe, S P Gorringe, V Patel & D K Ward, and was bred by Ndoro Stud. Dindingwe has won 10 races

Congratulations!

Photographs: Zimbabwe Equine News.

Jet Mirage, by Visionaire (USA) triumphed in the 1200m Gold Cup Sprint (Gr3) at Borrowdale Park on Saturday – and Brianna and Jubilee made him work for it.

It was a great race, and photographs by Jenny Stock and Gavin Macleod tell the story.

Trained by Debra Swanson and with Jeffery Syster up, the Lammarskraal Stud-bred six-year-old is owned by John (CJ) Smith, Grant Littleford, Spencer Murray, and Paul Rugg.  Jet Mirage has now won 6 races and the winning margin in this one was 0.75, 0.75, and 1.75 lengths. Top weight Brianna came second, then Jubilee and Abayyaan.

Saturday was good for Borrowdale Park racing, and particularly so for the Swanson/Syster duo who won four of the six races on the card.

The live stream shown on Formgrids (U-Tube) was incredibly improved, and one could hear the commentary, properly, from the third race onwards.  

Congratulations to the winning connections – and well done to everyone concerned.

Photographs by Jenny Stock and Gavin Macleod.

Owners become rather tense when their runner is involved in a close finish – unless they own both contenders.

Borrowdale Park stalwart, Craig Danckwerts, was in that happy place on Saturday when Tigers Eagle (Swanson/Syster) and Action Zone (Mason/De Gouveia) clashed in the 2000m MR 84 Handicap. Tigers Eagle won by half-a-length, Zazu was third, then Qunetra, and Coffeeberry.

Tigers Eagle, a five-year-old mare by Flying The Flag (IRE) has now won six races and she was bred by Wilgerbosdrift & Mauritzfontein.

Congratulations to the winning connections.

Photograph: Zimbabwe Equine News

Top-weighted Holy Land won his 10th race at Borrowdale Park on Saturday, when beating Wantage in the 1600m MR 98 Handicap.

Diego de Gouveia was in the irons and the 8-year-old Ideal World (USA) gelding is trained by Amy Parham. The proud owners are Messrs G Goksel, G Carter,D T Machingaidze, M W Smith, and Mesdames P J Lewis, C M de Jong and S Ziehl. Holy Land was bred by Wilgerbosdrift & Mauritzfontein.

Congratulations everyone.

Photographs by Zimbabwe Equine News. TOP – Holy Land (de Gouveia) followed by Wantage (Penny), Sun Bird (Syster) and Only Him (Marwing).

Holy Land, with Diego de Gouveia in the irons, will be aiming for back-to-back wins when he races in the 1600m Pinnacle Plate 98 at Borrowdale Park tomorrow (Saturday).

Amy Parham’s charge won the 1600m Sunshine Cup on 14 October carrying 60 kgs. Wantage and Only Him also raced then – Wantage (60 kgs) was 2.15 lengths back, and Only Him (60 kgs) was 3.40 lengths off the winner. Saturday’s runners, Citrusdal and SunBird, were not in the Sunshine Cup.

This time Only Him (59 kgs) and Wantage (58 kgs) take on Holy Land on better terms, but the Sunshine Cup winner has to give both Citrusdal and Sun Bird 5.5 kgs. They have won over the distance and should be racing fit. 

This will be interesting, and the Pinnacle Plate is due off at 15:40.  The first race on Saturday’s card is at 12:45.

Please follow this link to download the online card – https://mcusercontent.com/2a1c7dfa1eb4e4b185607f5a6/files/8808aabe-04fe-fa10-4a7e-377b93b20a45/18_NOVEMBER_2023.pdf

Photograph by Zimbabwe Equine News. Holy Land and Wantage (nearest camera) in the 2023 Ipi Tombe Stakes won by Holy Land. Both carried 60 kgs and Wantage went down by 0.10 lengths.