Zavannahgold and Coffeeberry are both nominated for the 2000m Zimbabwe Oaks (L) at Borrowdale Park on Saturday 29 July.

If they stand their ground, it should be a worthwhile race.

Coffeeberry won the 2400m Zimbabwe Derby (Gr3) at the last meeting, while Zavannahgold raced in the 1900m Republic Cup won by Down to Business.

Zavannahgold won the 1800m Silver Slipper (L) on the first of July with Wes Marwing on board. Coffeeberry was five lengths behind her, so on paper I would think Zavannahgold is in with a massive shout in the Oaks.

However, this three-year-old filly’s performance in the Republic Cup seemed too bad to be true. Fortunately, her trainer, Bridget Stidolph, agrees we can draw a line through that.

The Zimbabwe Oaks is the last leg of Zimbabwe’s Triple Tiara. The 1600m Fillies Classic, the first leg, was won by Jacky Sparrow in May, and Zavannahgold was just a quarter of a length behind her. Walking Thru Time came third and Coffeeberry, fourth, was six lengths back.

Of course, this is all useless speculation, as the final Oaks field will only be known next week.

Photograph by Zimbabwe Equine News

What a wonderful race – and won by a wonderful horse.

Down To Business came from the clouds – like an express train – and won the 2023 Republic Cup (GR3) at Borrowdale Park today. The $75 000 1900m event was sponsored by the Republic Cup Trust in association with Zim Cyber City.

Trained by Debra Swanson and with Jeffery Syster in the irons, Down To Business also won the recent OK Grand Challenge – quite a feat for the three-year-old son of Wylie Hall (AUS), bred by Mayesh Chetty. Down To Business is owned by Borrowdale Park stalwarts Paul Rugg, Grant Littleford and Spencer Murray.

The placings in the big race went to Ideal View, Holy Land and Sun Bird.

CONGRATULATIONS everyone!

Photograph by Zimbabwe Equine News

The $75 000 Republic Cup will be run over 1900m at Borrowdale Park today and you can watch all the races on https://youtube.com/live/o0Cy2b_Nun8?feature=share

The second feature on the card is the Zimbabwe Derby over 2000m and I hav heard on the grapevine that Jacky Sparrow has been scratched.

Other unfortunate grapevine news is that Gabriel Pieterse will not be riding as he was injured during the week and we wish him a speedy recovery.

The first race is at 12 15 and the Zimbabwe Derby is off at 15 50. The Republic Cup is the last on the 8-race card.

Photograph by Andrew Philip

Much better than watching TV!

Photographs by Zimbabwe Equine News.

Sun Bird held off Jubilee in the 1600m Middle Stakes at Borrowdale Park on Saturday and the four-year-old daughter of Querari has now won six of her 13 starts.

Jubilee, also a winner of 6 races, was giving Sun Bird 5 kgs, and he was followed by Regulate and Citrusdal.

Sun Bird was ridden by Jeffery Syster and she is trained by Debra Swanson. The winning owners are Mesdames C E Charsley , D Herbst , A F Stead , C F Von Rosen and Mr W P Nel.

Congratulations!

When this photograph of Sun Bird was taken by Zimbabwe Equine News, Gabriel Pieterse was riding.

Qunetra won the 2200m MR 75 Handicap at Borrowdale Park on Saturday, easily.

By Querari (GER) and out of a Captain Al mare, Qunetra was completing a hat-trick for the ZimFun Racing Club (nominee C J Smith). Wes Marwing was riding for Bridget Stidolph, and the five-year-old gelding was bred by Oldlands Stud.

Prince Of Kimberley was 2.50 lengths behind Qunetra, then came Zazu and Cutback.

Congratulations to the winning connections.

Photograph by Zimbabwe Equine News. Mathew Thackeray was in the irons when this was snapped.

On Saturday at Borrowdale Park Red Top won the 1200m MR 75 Handicap for the Swan & Donkey Syndicate (nominee Richard Linnell).

The three-year-old son of Red Ray, bred by Mr D G M Southey, has now won three races. He is trained by Debra Swanson and Jeffery Syster was in the irons. Tradition was 1.50 lengths off the winner and then came Forgotten Time and Battle OF Seattle.

Congratulations to the winning connections.

Photograph by Zimbabwe Equine News. On this previous occasion, Teaque Gould was riding Red Top.

The three-year-old daughter of Twice Over (GB), Duchess Of War, got the better of stablemate Elmhurst at Borrowdale on Saturday afternoon.

Bridget Stidolph’s charge triumphed in the 1450m MR 65 Handicap and Wes Marwing had the ride. The winning owners are the Gin ‘ll Fix It Syndicate (Nom: Miss K Stidolph), and the filly was bred by Millstream Farm. Days Gone By and Chetan filled the remaining places – winning margins 0.10, 1.50 and 3.50 lengths.

Well done everyone.

Photograph Zimbabwe Equine News. On Saturday Wes Marwing was riding Duchess of War.

Zavannahgold romped off with the 1800m Silver Slipper (L), the second leg of Zimbabwe’s Triple Tiara, at Borrowdale Park on Saturday.

Wes Marwing led the way on the Bridget Stidolph-trained Var (USA) filly. In the home straight when it briefly seemed as if this pair just might be reeled in, they found another gear and won going away, beating Walking Thru Time by 3 lengths, with My Secret Place and Coffeeberry further back.

This result franked that of the 1600m Fillies Classic, first leg of the Triple Tiara, when Zavannahgold ran a close second to Jacky Sparrow. Unfortunately, Jacky Sparrow was scratched on a veterinary certificate on Saturday morning as that would have been an interesting duel.

Zavannahgold is owned by Messrs S Buchan, N Evans, G de Jong, A Dixon, R S Dyer, Bryn Ressel and R Sherwood, and was bred by Al Adiyaat (Sheikh Mohammed Bin Khalifa Al Maktoum).

The Bridget Stidolph and Wes Marwing combination did well all afternoon, having won earlier with Duchess of War (1450 MR 65 Handicap), and Qunetra (2200m MR 75 Handicap).

Congratulations to all the winning connections.

Photographs Zimbabwe Equine News.

The first race at Borrowdale Park today is off at 12 00, and there will be a livestream via Formgrids https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i6lVujY_YH0

LATE SCRATCHING: Jacky Sparrow from Race 6.

Amy Bronkhorst has added Walking Thru Time to the 2023 Silver Slipper mix and apart from that this field remains the same.

The second leg of Zimbabwe’s Triple Tiara – the 1800m Silver Slipper (L) – was due to take place on the 21st of June but that Borrowdale Park meeting was abandoned, and the race is now on Saturday. See https://zimracing.com/2023/06/19/jacky-sparrow-hard-to-fault/for the original preview but note the jockey changes. Wes Marwing will now ride Zavannahgold, and Francois Herholdt is on Coffeeberry.

While Walking Thru Time (Hennie Greyling) is no pushover, I still believe Jacky Sparrow is the one they will all have to beat.

By Jay Peg and out of a Giant’s Causeway (USA) mare, Walking Thru Time has had 7 starts from 1000m to 1600m, and always finished in the first four. She won a 1600m Maiden Plate in March, beating Elmhurst by 5 lengths when receiving 3kgs. On May 6 Walking Thru Time ran third in the 1600m Fillies Classic – the first leg of the Triple Tiara – which was won by Jacky Sparrow. Zavannahgold (second) was a quarter of a length behind the winner, and Walking Thru Time was not far behind her and well clear of Saturday’s runners Coffeeberry and My Secret Place. All carried 58 kgs.

Racing on Saturday gets underway at 12 00 and the Silver Slipper is due off at 14 30.

Photograph by Zimbabwe Equine News: Walking Thru Time with Hennie Greyling on board.

This morning my thoughts are with the loyal owners and all others dependent on racing at Borrowdale Park who expected to be racing today.

Yesterday afternoon the Mashonaland Turf Club said today’s race meeting had been abandoned “on the instruction of the NHRA”. Obviously, the MTC has fallen behind with due payments for policing racing in Zimbabwe, but it has been no secret, for many years, that Borrowdale Park has had to battle to survive. I was shocked and amazed the NHRA would choose to deliver this kick in the teeth.

Racing, to be credible, must be governed by rules and regulations and I have never had a quarrel with that. However, surely the NHRA could wait for their money until the situation improves – even if they couldn’t care one way or another if racing at Borrowdale Park continues.

The Turf Club has had to deal with historical debt, and in doing so has to prioritise when and to whom payments are made. Stakes have been drastically reduced, and sources of additional income are constantly sought. I am not qualified to go into the financial difficulties which currently beset Zimbabwe as a whole, but this should also be considered.

I have never been employed, or retained, in any way, by the MTC. However, as a journalist for more than 60 years, I keep my ear to the ground. I believe that the NHRA, sometime in 2022, requested a monthly fee of US$3000 for their services in Zimbabwe, and a sum of $10 500 is currently outstanding. Under the circumstances, and if this information is correct, this seems commendable. It is surprising some agreement to resolve this problem has not been reached.

Being conversant with the rules of racing I am aware that because of this ‘rant’ the NHRA may accuse me of bringing racing into disrepute – and I could lose my colours which I have had since 1978. Be that as it may. I can no longer afford to own and race a ‘whole’ horse anyway. This needs to be said, and whatever the outcome I am, fortunately, too old to care.

Sheldene Chant