The feature race at Borrowdale Park on Saturday, the 18th of October, is the 1200m Commander AirForce of Zimbabwe Pinnacle Plate 100 and 7 horses have been nominated.
The Weights & Draws have been published on this site.
By The Centaurian
Some time ago, I asked my regular readers to ‘watch this space’ as there would be good news coming – so this is the space for that good news – or some of it!
I am sorry that it has taken a bit longer than expected to achieve but unless the Gods have something in mind for us that we can’t foretell, the 2025/26 racing season will be the most cathartic year for horse racing since 1958, when Borrowdale Park first opened its gates.
From an owner’s point of view, the first sign of change was announced recently by the Board of Stewards – stakes are to go up for the first time in a very long time. vis:
Race 1 all maidens/juveniles $2,000
Races 2 – 5/6 all minor races $3,000
Race 6/7 club feature race $4,000
This good news comes just weeks before the next Race Coast sale of two year olds in South Africa – and gives Zimbos a much better justification for getting their hands in their pockets! It should also be noted that we have negotiated to be included in the Race Coast R100,000 inventive plan – good news for Zim owners in the future – and maybe, RSA owners might like to send a few up here now to access this fund if they are not so successful down south.
It should be noted that from the commencement of the new season, it is likely that we shall, in the main, race every three weeks, on a Friday – unless a sponsor requires otherwise. We shall also endeavour to provide for up to 7 or even 8 races at each meeting – but no less than 5. We might be able to race 16 or 17 times per year to give us the same number of actual races as we did last season – i.e. 120
There has been much debate about Friday racing – well it’s all about flights back to RSA – on a Saturday the last flight home is about 5 pm – which means racing has to stop around 2.45 p.m. – hopeless in my view. On Fridays, the last flight is at 6.40 pm – giving us time to race later and finish later – say 1.00 pm and 4.30 pm. Trials in the last season for these times worked very well – who wouldn’t like to take a Friday afternoon off? Go racing, have a few drinks afterwards and then go straight out for dinner – I can recommend the crayfish tails at La Parada.
I will write more about other important developments shortly, but for now, and this is only my own personal view – and is not necessarily endorsed by the Board of Stewards – I have some ideas as to just how much of an annual income we actually need to put us ahead of SA racing – outside sponsorships.
My view is that over the next five or six years we should try to get to point where we race every two weeks, with seven races of seven or eight runners – or 50 runners in total. From my empirical evidence, to achieve this we need a total racing population of about 150 to 160 horses.
I think our goal must be to provide a total pot of purse money which will cover – in theory – the total cost of training such a number of horses – at say, current prices, of $9,000 per annum. This gives us a total sum of $1,440,000 needed per annum. Taking off the $120,000 the MTC currently provide, the income target we should aim for over a period of time is $1,320,000.
I think if we continue our current direction of travel and add in the revenue which would devolve to the MTC once we unlock the betting opportunities which will emerge with bigger fields, I think the target is attainable
Put another way, this proposal would see every race horse being able, on average, to cover its full training costs each year by say 2030.
It also means that the average purse per race would be $12,000 – or over Rand 200,000.
That would be some achievement.
Then, from a broader economic point of view, there will be substantial employment opportunities and increased tax revenue for the exchequer.
Yes, I hear the protestations, impossible, pipe dreams, it can never happen – but I believe with the right people in charge, sound planning, prudent financial management, some patience and much effort the target is well achievable by 2030. Bear in mind, in 2018 who thought racing at Borrowdale Park would survive at all? – this is Zimbos at their very best – ‘always making a plan’.
2024/25 saw the Mashonaland Turf Club break even for the first time in decades, without a single cent of betting revenue – it’s onwards and upwards from here.
18th September 2025
by The Centaurian
Well, it’s been a while since I commented on racing matters at Borrowdale Park – but we are still racing. Let us not understate that fact.
Of course, that does not mean that all is well with our sport, largely down to money matters. However, context is everything, as is the direction of travel.
At the back end of 2018, the portents for racing were catastrophic – the end of racing at Borrowdale Park looked imminent. Huge debts, pressing creditors, no gambling revenue, no rental income, no assets to sell. Why wouldn’t the whole thing fall into the big hole of racing history which has plagued racing centres across southern Africa – indeed, many other parts of the world?
Then came a new Board of Stewards, which felt the sport was worth saving and had some ideas about how it might be achieved. Messrs. Buchan, Dixon, and Carter set about their task by first raising some serious bridging finance from both benefactors and investors. They then began the task of repurposing the club’s assets into a retail park (and later some farming) and launched an effort to unlock some freehold land which had mistakenly become embroiled in the leasehold land upon which Borrowdale Park sits. And all this was taking place as a great scythe was cut through the club’s operational costs – notably staff and stakes.
In short, racing at Borrowdale Park was put into Intensive Care with only a rudimentary life support system in place.
The consequences of the necessary austerity programme were inevitable – a reduction in owners, trainers, jockeys, horses and racegoers – until rock bottom was hit – which is about where we are now.
But wait – where are we now? I can tell you truthfully that whilst we are not out of the woods completely and the occasional blood transfusion is still necessary from time to time in the form of cash – the club’s vital signs are beginning to look very encouraging. I know I am a renowned optimist but you draw your own conclusions. Here are a few facts to help you.
There are other things we have achieved on this journey too.
We now have feisty Board of Stewards – which might be seen as negative in some respects – but I would far rather have a feisty board than an acquiescent team of yes wo/men.
We have updated our Rules and Bye Laws for the first time in a generation – to include more clarity and greater safeguards for the Members’ assets in the long term.
At last we have an accounting function in place which will ensure we can, at last, have a good go at meeting the fiduciary responsibilities of the Board in their capacity of representing Members’ interests. This function is supported by a Management Information System which provides for a better insight into the club’s affairs for non-accounting folk.
The Board of Stewards has also agreed to appoint a General Manager as soon as finances allow such a person to be deployed.
Efforts to unlock the opportunities which the club’s freehold land could yield have been on the cusp of success for some time, but that final step seems to be in sight but has been rather elusive (more news on this shortly). With success in this, the club’s fortunes will be very different indeed. Having said that, the club is not sitting, waiting for the land panacea to happen; it has other repurposing ideas – to include more retail space, a solar project for the roof of the Silver Ring and the redevelopment of the said facility into a series of corporate racing entertainment boxes as per the Meydan example. Finally, there remains some scope for further, albeit modest, rental increases.
The financial benefits of all these measures will be directed to the interests of the industry as a whole – but with particular emphasis on stake increases – we must be close to this now.
For the new season, given our current and projected horse population it has been decided that we race every three weeks, with 8 races if possible, which will give 120 races in the year – same as in 24/25. The plan will save the club an estimated $72,000 which in a worst case scenario might, at last, provide the MTC with just that bit of financial flexibility it has desperately needed in recent times.
Having made these positive points for the industry consideration, it is the case that there are still things we can do much better, many of which cost nothing, vis TV coverage in the Ipi Tombe bar, the Ipi Tombe acoustics, the race commentary in that venue, communications with our industry members, transparency of the clubs affairs and functionality – especially with AGMs, social media usage to promote both race meeting attendance and ownership involvement, a younger Board of Stewards, more sponsors, more prompt payment of stakes – to mention just a few.
Industry participants often express their disgruntlement with the way things are run at the MTC – often with justification – but despite its many shortcomings, the MTC has kept racing going and set a course for a brighter future. For that I express my sincere gratitude. Having said that, the Bondholders and other benefactors also deserve our thanks – without them all would have been lost seven or eight years ago.
Then, let’s not forget the industry participants – notably the owners who – if you look at it, probably pump half a million dollars into the sport each year for precious little reward or appreciation.
These are the backbones of racing in Zimbabwe, closely followed by our talented bunch of trainers and their grooms.
Special congratulations to Leading Owner, Craig Dankwerts; Leading Trainer, Debbie Swanson; Leading Jockey with equal wins but more seconds than Philosande Mxoli, and finally Centaur Syndicate winning back-to-back Triple Crowns, this year with River Power.
Oh and let’s not forget Head Boy, Gyles Dorward, who ensures the course and grounds are always fit for purpose. Thank you all.
At the end of term, the Headmaster might comment that we could all try harder – B+ – fair enough, we all can – but at least we have somewhere to go for the new term – and it looks like Fridays are a winner – who can’t take such afternoons off? Call it detention.
The Centaurian aka CJ Smith
31st July 2025
Last One Standing (Daniels) won the 2200m Misty Eagle Pinnacle Plate at Borrowdale Park on the 25th of July. This was the last race meeting of the 2024/25 season, and his trainer, Debra Swanson, retains her title as Zimbabwe’s leading trainer.
By Twice Over (GB) and out of a Dynasty mare, Last One Standing has now won four races, and this latest victory completes a hat-trick for owners Duncan and Jackie Cocksedge.
As all Southern Hemisphere-bred Thoroughbreds celebrate their official birthday tomorrow, the 1st of August, Last One Standing was a four-year-old when he won but turns five tomorrow. He was bred by Beaumont Stud, and congratulations to all the winning connections.
The chances are that Deryl Daniels completed the 2024/25 season as Zimbabwe’s Champion Jockey, but it was a tight finish involving Philasande Mxoli – and as my arithmetic is always questionable, I will wait for an official announcement about that.
Photograph by Zimbabwe Equine News.
The Borrowdale Park race meeting on Friday the 25th of July was the last of the 2024/25 racing season, and the first meeting of 2025/26 is on the 18th of October.
This is where I should start chirping that next season will be better but, being a journalist and not into public relations, I am simply going to say, “It had better be”. The contrast between Hollywoodbets last Greyville meeting of 2024/25 and Borrrowdale Park’s, was depressing. The success of former Zimbabweans training in South Africa, and the fact that Peter Moor and Henk Leyenaar owned two of the Greyville winners, provided some welcome relief. You can read all about it on my Facebook group page LoveRacingZimbabwe.
The feature race at Borrowdale, the 2000m Zimbabwe Oaks (L) was won by the One World filly September Flower, trained by Amy Parham and owned by the Brumby Syndicate (nominee Grant Littleford). The three-year-old was bred by Boland Stud, and Philisande Mxoli was riding. Congratulations to the winning connections. September Flower also won the first leg of Zimbabwe’s Triple Tiara, the Fillies Classic, in May, and she has now won four races.
The annual racing break starts now and Zimbabwe racing will not resume until October. Plenty of time for a rethink!
Photographs by Zimbabwe Equine News.
Come racing at Borrowdale Park tomorrow (Friday 25 July 2025), when the first race is due off at 13:00.
The feature is the Geoff Armitage Memorial Zimbabwe Oaks (L).
This is the last leg of Zimbabwe’s Triple Tiara, and the field includes September Flower and She’s Everything, winners of the first two legs, the 1600m Fillies Classic and the 1800m Silver Slipper (L), respectively. The Oaks is over 2000m and is the last on the six-race card.
Entry to the course is free.
Copper Fire and River Power came alight for the Centaur Syndicate at the Borrowdale Park race meeting on the 11th of July, 2025. Both horses are trained by Debbie Swanson, and Deryl Daniels was riding.
The Centaur Syndicate (nominee Craig Danckwerts) is enjoying a successful 2024/25 season and they are probably not done yet.
Bred by Blue Karoo Stud, three-year-old Copper Fire is by Willow Magic (AUS) out of a New Approach (IRE) mare. On Friday she won the 1260m Borrowdale D Stakes, finishing clear of Audacious, and has now won three races.
River Power won the 1450m Pinnacle Plate 100 – an incredible fifth successive victory – and he has won eight races in total. This three-year-old colt is by Global View (USA) out of an Ideal World (USA) mare and was bred by Riethuiskraal Stud.
An excellent afternoon’s work and congratulations to all the winning connections.
Photographs by Zimbabwe Equine News.
On Friday the 11th of July 2025, Solartrip completed a hat-trick of wins for his owner Kirsty Stidolph, when he won the 1600m Graduation Plate with Jarryd Penny aboard.
Bridget Stidolph trains the three-year-old Querari (GER) gelding. Lammerskraal Stud bred him, and Solartrip is out of a Trippi (USA) mare.
Bridget and Penny scored again in the 1200m Pinnacle Plate 90 with Guerra.
The four-year-old is owned by Messrs A Dixon, R S Dyer, S N Buchan, N Evans, G de Jong, R Sherwood, D C Samuels and P Annesley. By Lancaster Bomber (USA) and bred by Piemonte Stud, Guerra has now won five races, and this time finished 1.50 lengths ahead of Queen Of Fire.
Congratulations to all the winning connections!
Photographs by Jenny Stock of Zimbabwe Equine News.
Geoff Armitage needs no introduction to anyone in Zimbabwe and South Africa’s racing and breeding circles, and I was devastated to learn that he passed away peacefully today.
Nigel Dorward said: “I write to you all with the grim news that Geoff Armitage closed his eyes for the last time this morning. One of Mother Nature’s finest gentlemen. Inspiring, generous, competitive and loyal. He will be greatly missed.”
Reams could be written about Geoff Armitage and his achievements, but Nigel’s words convey all that needs to be said. Geoff will be missed by all who knew him, and our thoughts and deepest sympathy are with Ann and the Armitage family at this very sad time.
Rest in peace, Geoff, and thanks for all the memories.
The main race at Borrowdale Park on the 11th of July 2025 was the 1600m Borrowdale Weight-For- Age, and there they were again – Messrs P D Gorringe, S P Gorringe, V Patel, D K Ward and M W Smith – leading in a winner.
Jaeger Moon, a seven-year-old gelding by Capetown Noir, finished two lengths ahead of Action Zone, both horses carrying 60 kgs.
Bred by Summerhill Stud, Jaeger Moon has now won 13 races.
Debra Swanson trains him, and Deryl Daniels was in the irons. This team were riding high on Sunday, having previously won with Copper Fire and River Power, both owned by the Centaur Syndicate.
Congratulations to all the winning connections.
Photograph by Debra Swanson!
There is racing Borrowdale Park today, Friday the 11th of July 2025, and the first race is off at 13:30.
The feature race on the 6-race card is at 16:25 and entry to the course is free.
Last, but not least, of the six winners from the Swanson yard at Borrowdale Park on the 22nd of June 2025, was Majestic Warrior, who won the 1260 Pinnacle Plate 105 for Duncan and Jackie Cocksedge.
Deryl Daniels piloted the Master Of My Fate gelding to his fifth win. Ndoro Stud bred the five-year-old who beat Var Aglow by two lengths.
Congratulations to the winning connections.
Photograph by Katie Stock.
Racing at Borrowdale Park in Harare - Zimbabwe 