After the running of the OK Grand Challenge (GR1) at Borrowdale on Saturday, the winner, Seven Seas, has moved from a Merit Rating of 85 to 90.  True Beauty has gone from 95 to 99, and Holy Land has moved up by two to 98. Lily Blue (fourth) remains on 99.

All of Captain Of Tortuga, Finchatton, Only Him, Wantage, Armstrong and Bugatti Blue dropped down one.

The Merit Ratings of Mr Greenlight, Edward The Seventh and Love The View were reduced by two.

Changes after minor events:

UP

Kursk +2 (now 70); Cool Solution +4 (64); Ian’s Ferrari +2(64); Keen Spirit +1 (65); Tulip Way +4 (81); Shesalegend +5 (77); Oden +5 (85); Tigers Eagle +4 (71). First-timer Why Madera 70.

DOWN

Cario -6 (41); Empress Of Jade -5 (50); Karoo Winter -3 (40); Deposition -1 (63); Bruce’s Spirit -3 (55); Mill Creek -2 (51); Mutatheef -3 (59), Manvir -1 (59); Albar Warning -2 (48); Ginjamatinja -2 (45); Powder Puff -3 (67); Magic Mike -2 (74); Wild Heritage -1 (71); Magic Vision -2 (68); Viscountess Vivien -1 (63); Emerald Floe -1 (82); Tradition -1 (76); Mr Hugo -1 (73); In Good Time -2 (71); At The Office – 2 (61);

We were lucky to have several hard-working photographers on course for the 2022 OK Grand Challenge (GR 1). LAURENT VIGUIE snapped the field in the home straight – and then the main players as they progressed towards the wire.

If you missed this exciting 1800m event the race was won in the closest of finishes by Seven Seas, from True Beauty, and then came Holy Land and Lily Blue. Winning margins 0.05 lengths 0.75 lengths 2.00 lengths. Time 107.07 sec. The winner is owned by Christopher Peech, trained by Gokhan Terzi and Nathan Klink was riding.

Congratulations!

Seven Seas, with Nathan Klink up, won the US$70 000 OK Grand Challenge (GR1) at Borrowdale Park today – in a thrilling finish with Castle Tankard winner, True Beauty (Schwarz).  Holy Land (Danielson) was third.

Trained by Gokhan Terzi and owned by Christopher Peech, the five-year-old mare was bred by Digleby Stud (Mr and Mrs H. Stegeman).  Seven Seas is by Elusive Fort out of an Argonaut mare and she has now won five races.

Congratulations to the winning connections.

Four-year-old True Beauty was giving the winner 5kgs and was gallant in defeat.

The photograph of Seven Seas was taken by Zimbabwe Equine News on another occasion.  Up-to-date pics will follow later.

 The OK Grand Challenge race meeting is off to a very early start today, Saturday 4 June 2022. The first race is off at 10.45 and the feature, the OK Grand Challenge (GR1), is at 14.50.

Eighteen runners will face the starter in the OK Grand Challenge run over 1800m. This is Zimbabwe’s richest race, and it has attracted an ultra-competitive field.  This is the grand finale on the 8-race card.

 If you are unable to be at the course the meeting can be viewed on DSTV Channel 240 – and the Borrowdale Park Livestream will be on Clocking The Gallop on UTube.

Tips, Final Fields, Card Changes, and a link to the online card can be found on this site.

Photograph by Zimbabwe Equine News

Full sisters, Lily Blue and Obscure, will race against each other, for the first time, in the 1800m OK Grand Challenge (Gr1) at Borrowdale Park on Saturday afternoon.

Five-year-old Lily Blue and four-year-old Obscure are sired by Black Minnaloushe (USA) and are out of Mammy Blue (ZIM), a Kitalpha (USA) mare. Both were bred by Geoff Armitage and on Saturday they will race in the Gin’ll Fix It Syndicate’s silks (pink, pink sleeves. turquoise armbands and cap). In this photograph Obscure (below) wears the late Betty Prosser’s colours – Betty had a share in Obscure prior to her passing.

The illustrious Lily Blue needs no introduction. She has won 12 races (including Classics) with only occasional blips and carries 59.5 kgs in the OK Grand Challenge. On the other hand, Obscure has won five races, including her last start, and perhaps may only now be coming to hand. To date, 2000m and further has seemed her game but she will carry 52 kgs on Saturday and could surprise.

It will be interesting to see how the sisters, both trained by Bridget Stidolph, fare. Lily Blue is accustomed to racing in top company – Obscure not so much.

Henk Leyenaar will be holding thumbs for both these runners, having originally owned Mammy Blue.

Photographs by Zimbabwe Equine News.

This exercise began because I was puzzled by the OK Grand Challenge opening betting when Daffiq who has not raced for a year was at 7/2, and Finchatton , who won the OK Grand Challenge last year, was on 10/1.

Daffiq (Randall Simons) won the 1600m Independence Trophy on 2 May 2021, carrying 57 kgs and beating Finchatton with Diego de Gouveia up (54 kgs) by 0.10 lengths. They are due to meet again on Saturday, June 4, over 1800m – a distance Daffiq has not tried previously although the breeding is there (Silvano (GER) – Crown Office (USA) by Horse Chestnut). At this stage, I stopped worrying about Daffiq as he remains a mystery.

So, what about Finchatton who did, after all, win the 2021 OK Grand Challenge carrying 55.5kgs and beating Peggson, Holy Land (52kgs), and Fareeq. In February he won the 1600m Ipi Tombe Stakes (L) and was followed across the line by Holy Land, What A Dandy and Captain Of Tortuga – all carrying 60 kgs. Holy Land was a quarter of a length off Finchatton, What A Dandy 1.50 lengths, and Captain of Tortuga two lengths behind.

Finchatton’s last start was in the 2022 Castle Tankard (Gr1) over 2000m, which was won by True Beauty on May 7, and, in addition to Finchattton and True Beauty, nine other OK hopefuls also ran in the 2022 Tankard.

Below I have listed the relevant 2022 Tankard runners in the order in which they finished, plus the weight carried in the Tankard, lengths behind – and the weight they will carry in the OK Grand Challenge (Gr1) in brackets.

Your basic arithmetic is sure to be better than mine, but I think Finchatton has to be in with a good chance – as do some others.

TRUE BEAUTY 55.5 kgs (57.5 kgs) +2kgs

ONLY HIM 57.5 – 0.75 lens (58.5 kgs) +1kg

HOLY LAND 58.5 – 2.25 (58 kgs) – 0.5 kg

WANTAGE 56.0 – 3.00 (55.5 kgs) – 0.5 kg

CITRUSDAL 52.0 – 3.25 (52 kgs)

FINCHATTON 60.0 – 4.25 (59 kgs) – 1 kg

BUGATTI BLUE 55.5 – 4.75 (55 kgs) -0.5 kg

LILY BLUE 60.0 – 5.50 (59.5 kgs) -0.5 kg

ARMSTRONG 55.0 – 9.50 (55 kgs)

LOVE THE VIEW 52.0 – 10.25 (52 kgs)

MR GREENLIGHT 57.5 – 25.25 (57 kgs) -0.5 kg

OTHER OK GRAND CHALLENGE ACCEPTORS: What A Dandy 62 kgs; Captain Of Tortuga 59 kgs; Daffiq 57 kgs; Edward the Seventh 54.5 kgs, Seven Seas 52.5 kgs; Mind Master 52kgs; Obscure 52 kgs; Varnica 52 kgs Reserve 1; Tulip Way 52 kg Reserve 2.

The first three past the post in the 2000m Castle Tankard (Gr1) run on 7 May 2022 were the most fancied runners when the final field was declared for the 1800m OK Grand Challenge (Gr1) earlier this week.

True Beauty won the Tankard, and then came Only Him and Holy Land. Winning margins 0.75 and 1.50 Lengths. When betting opened for the OK Grand Challenge, True Beauty and Holy Land were quoted at 5/2, and Only Him was 4/1.

Holy Land may prefer the 1800m trip and there has been a significant turnaround in the weights.  In The Castle Tankard, True Beauty received 3 kgs from Holy Land, while Only Him was receiving 1 kg from the older horse.  On June 4 Holy Land only gives True Beauty half a kilogram, while Only Him will give Holy Land 0.5 kgs.

There is no doubt that the four-year-olds will have to dig deeper to beat Holy Land, but it isn’t all over bar the shouting. The OK field is bristling with possibilities and the Final Field has been published on this site.

(Keep scrolling down for profiles on the 2022 Castle Tankard runners – most of whom are scheduled to run in the OK Grand Challenge.)

Photographs by Jenny Stock.

Stake money for the OK GRAND CHALLENGE (GR2) to be run over 1800m at Borrowdale Park on Saturday 4^th June 2022, has been increased to US$70 000.

Nominations for what is now Zimbabwe’s richest race closed at 10 30 this morning and supplementary nominations are due by 10 am tomorrow, Thursday, May 19.

 Final Acceptances for the OK Grand Challenge are at 9 am on Monday, and the Final Field will be announced at a function on Tuesday, 24^th May.

Minor races on OK Grand Challenge Day have also received a welcome boost in stakes, and Final Acceptance for these events is at 10 30 on Monday, May 30, 2022.

The scene is set for another great OK Grand Challenge race day.

18 May 2022

Photograph: Laurent Viguie

It’s a pity we lost out on one race meeting but that’s not the end of the world. The OK Grand Challenge is around the corner and Borrowdale Park will be firing again.  To begin some good vibes let’s trip down memory lane with former OK Grand Challenge winners.

2015 – YER-MAAN (Quinton Riddle) Owned and trained by St John Gray.  Then came Thriller In Manila, Rock The Country and Equina.

2016 – DUFFY’S CALL (Brendon McNaughton) Trainer Bridget Stidolph.  Owned by the Sunmark Racing Syndicate (nom: Rob Davenport). Then came Windigo, Whiteline Fever and Mathematician

2017 – ROYAL HONOUR  (Jarryd Penny) Trainer Bridget Stidolph. Owned by Mr Juan Taljaard. Then came Windigo, Super Good and Cool Solution.

2018 – SIMONA (Calvin Habib) Trainer Bridget Stidolph. Owned by the Newbury Racing Syndicate (Pty) Ltd (nom: Dennis Evans). Then came Peggson, Master Switch and Kilrain.

2019 – SIMONA (Calvin Habib) Trainer Bridget Stidolph. Owned by the Newbury Racing Syndicate (Pty) Ltd (nom: Dennis Evans). Then came Fareeq (AUS), Verdier and Peggson.

2020 – COVID struck.

2021 – FINCHATTON (Diego de Gouveia) Trainer Gokhan Terzi. Owned by Gengiz Goksel. Then came Peggson, Holy Land and Fareeq (AUS).

Photographs by Gavin Macleod, Zimbabwe Equine News and Laurent Viguie. Thanks to my bad filing, it was difficult to find any pics – let alone, in some cases, to say exactly who took what.

The Borrowdale race meeting scheduled for the 22nd of May, 2022, has been abandoned due to insufficient runners.

At the Final Declaration stage this morning five races folded, and all were reopened, and all trainers called upon for additional horses to allow each race to hold. Each trainer advised the racing centre that they did not have any further horses to add to the meeting.

The Mashonaland Turf Club reports:

 “We therefore have only one option in accordance with our local conditions which is in regard to Rule 3F – ABANDONMENT OF A RACE: The racing operator reserves the right to cancel any race meeting should 7 races not stand after declaration, and after reopening each race on the same conditions.

 “As a result this race meeting did not hold and we have no option but to abandon the meeting for the 22nd May 2022.”

This is very disappointing news for Zimbabwe’s racing fans.

The four-year-old filly, True Beauty, was facing the toughest test of her career and came through in style, winning the US$50 000 Castle Tankard (Gr1) at Borrowdale Park this afternoon.  

Only Him, also a four-year-old, came second, followed by Holy Land and Wantage.

Owned by Ms SP Moyo and Mr G Tafeni, True Beauty is trained by Thomas Mason, and Denis Schwarz was in the irons. Congratulations to the connections on winning Zimbabwe’s most prestigious race.  What more can one say!

By Skitt Skizzle and out of a Silvano (GER) mare, True Beauty was bred by Bosworth Farm Stud, and this was her sixth victory.

Once again, the sponsors, Delta Beverages, set the scene for a spectacular and memorable day.

Photograph – Not taken today…those will follow

COME RACING AT BORROWDALE PARK – ENTRY FREE

The first race at Borrowdale Park tomorrow (Saturday, May 7) is off at 12 10 and the feature, the US$50 000 Castle Tankard, is at 15 50.

 The meeting can be viewed on DSTV Channel 240 – and the Borrowdale Park Livestream will be on Clocking The Gallop on UTube.

Tips, Final Fields Card Changes etc on this site (see menu above)..

Please follow the link below to view or download Saturday’s online race card:

https://mcusercontent.com/2a1c7dfa1eb4e4b185607f5a6/files/41bba548-5022-f1d3-c9d7-f7d85b8f1d54/7_MAY_2022_race_card.pdf

Photograph by Andrew Philip.