Several punters’ pets such as Lily Blue, Call The Wind, Finchatton and Coachella, are due to compete at Borrowdale Park on Sunday which should add up to interesting racing.

There are two feature races on the card – the Nadia Farina Silver Slipper (L) over 1800m, and the 2000m Changa Breeders Champions Cup (L) – due off at 14 45 and 15 25 respectively.

The Silver Slipper is the second leg of Zimbabwe’s Triple Tiara and Guineas winner Call The Wind already has the first leg, the 1600m Fillies Classic, in the bag. There is little reason to suppose this classy filly will not score again although there is a newcomer to Borrowdale in the line-up. This is Midfield Girl, by Alado (GB). She has been placed twice at Turffontein over 1600m and her last start there was on February 27.

Nor has two-time winner Tigers Eagle met Call The Wind before.

Finchatton, fresh from his Ipi Tombe Stakes victory over a mile, carries top weight in the Breeders Champions Cup, and the field includes last year’s winner, Wantage, as well as Bugatti Blue who ran third to Peggson in 2020.

Lily Blue makes her second appearance here after campaigning down south. Her last outing at Borrowdale was in November so she may be short of a race but is distance suited so this will be interesting.

Yarraman, Fareeq and Heir Line will complete this field. Yarraman finished 3.50 lengths off Wantage in 2021 and claiming Apprentice Walter Shumba rides on Sunday. Fareeq can always surprise but might prefer slightly shorter, while Heir Line is distance suited but will have to dig deeper here.

At the last Borrowdale meeting, Bugatti Blue and Heir Line finished behind Obscure in a 2000m MR 85 Handicap where Bugatti Blue beat Heir Line by a whisker while conceding 4.5 kgs. Heir Line should be half a kg better off on Sunday.

I won’t strain my brain with more basic arithmetic – just expect a very good race.

Coachella fluffed it in heavy going on February 6 in a 1260m Open Handicap won by Fareeq, but the sprinting champ likes 1100m and should do better in Sunday’s Pinnacle Plate 105 – although it is a pity about the draw. All of Love To Bluff, Mr Greenlight and What A Dandy will make a race of this, and Diesel And Dust races up the straight for the first time ever.

The son of Futura has not raced since early in June so watch for now – I would think.

The first race on Sunday is due off at 12 noon.

Photographs by Zimbabwe Equine News.

Regulate finished 0.25 lengths behind Zimbabwe Guineas winner Call The Wind on Sunday (6 March 2022) and now has a Merit Rating of 72. Keen Spirit was dropped to MR58, and the rest of the Guineas runners were unchanged.

More Merit Rating changes:

UP
Chetan +13 (MR58); Mill Creek +2 (MR54); Emily’s Song +6 (MR56); Assume +2 (MR55); Tradition +5 (MR75); Deposition +4 (MR64); Viscountess Vivien +2 (MR62); Obscure +5 (MR72); Only Him +2 (MR 94); Regulate +12 (MR72).

DOWN
Apache Gold -3 (MR60); Cosmic Rush -4 (MR38); Queen Of Dallas -2 (MR54); Aneksi – 5 (MR58); Sweet Opportunity – 2 (MR55); Hawi -4 (MR47); Val Gardena -2 (MR48); Wijdaan -1 (MR73); Peaceable -1 (MR67); Kursk -1 (MR62); Cool Solution -2 (MR59); Three To Tango -4 (MR81); Armstrong -2 (MR88); Keen Spirit -3 (MR58).

Photograph by Zimbabwe Equine News: Call The Wind held off a challenge from Regulate in the 2022 Zimbabwe Guineas

Call The Wind, with Calvin Habib in the irons, won the Zimbabwe Guineas (GR3) at Borrowdale Park this afternoon, but the Ato gelding, Regulate, and Teaque Gould, certainly made a race of it.

By Twice Over (GB) and out of a Silvano (GER) mare, Call The Wind has now won all of her five starts. She is owned by Gengis Goksel, trained by Vanessa Birketoft, and bred by Ascot Stud (Pty) Ltd. Lady Sanza and Cutback finished third and fourth respectively.

The Zimbabwe Guineas is the first leg of Zimbabwe’s Triple Crown.

Congratulations everyone – it was a great race.

Photograph by Gavin Macleod.

Call the Wind goes for her fifth consecutive win in the Zimbabwe Guineas (GR3) at Borrowdale Park tomorrow (Sunday 6 March 2022).

The first race is off at 12 15 and the Guineas will be run at 15 40.

For those who cannot be on course, the Borrowdale Livestream will be on ClockingTheGallop on UTube. Final Fields, Tips, Card Changes etc will be posted on this site.

To view or download the Borrowdale Park Race Card please click on https://mcusercontent.com/2a1c7dfa1eb4e4b185607f5a6/files/72d7c1dc-8a97-3c1f-7ce4-3246a1c5aa1f/6_March_2022_RACE_CARD.pdf

This should be a great day.

Regulate and Manvir, both winners of their last start, take on four nifty fillies in the 1600m Zimbabwe Guineas (Gr3), the first leg of the Zimbabwe Triple Crown, at Borrowdale Park on Sunday.

Call The Wind, trained by Vanessa Birketoft, is probably the toughest nut the two geldings have to crack as the Twice Over (GB) filly has won all her four starts, including the 1600m Fillies Classic on February 6, when she beat Sunday’s runners Lady Sanza and Keen Spirit easily.

Then there is the small but gutsy Cutback from Thomas Mason’s yard, winner of her last two starts including the 1600m Guineas Trial on January 23. Cutback and Call The Wind have only met once and that was over 1100m in June. Call The Wind won comfortably but Cutback has come into her own over more ground – draw a line through her run in the Tote Free when the saddle slipped badly.

Both Keen Spirit and Lady Sanza have won once over shorter trips. They finished well behind Call The Wind in the Fillies Classic and on paper will have to improve to score here.
Keen Spirit and Manvir are trained by Debra Swanson, and Lady Sanza, from whom much has been expected after a scintillating debut, is from Gokhan Terzi’s stable.

Regulate and Manvir’s chances are difficult to assess as neither have previously raced around the turn, and when they have met up the straight Regulate has retained the upper hand.

In fact, Manvir was beaten by 5.25 lengths at level weights when Regulate won over 1100m in yielding going on February 6. At the last race meeting on February 20 Manvir won a 1000m Maiden Plate in good going.

That said, we can only wonder whether this pair will light up over a mile. I still think Call The Wind will be hard to beat while hoping Cutback can make the four-time winner work hard for the money.

1 Drawn 5 REGULATE 58.0 (MR60) T Gould – Bridget Stidolph – (Ato – Dictate by Silvano (GER))

2 Drawn 4 MANVIR 58.0 (MR57) N Takawira – Debra Swanson – (Red Ray – Europe To Africa (AUS) by Rock Of Gibraltar (IRE))

3 Drawn 6 CALL THE WIND 55.5 (MR77) C Habib – Vanessa Birketoft – (Twice Over (GB) – Silvan Wind by Silvano (GER))

4 Drawn 3 CUTBACK 55.5 (MR67) C Orffer – Thomas Mason – (Twice Over (GB) – Suedette by Dynasty)

5 Drawn 2 KEEN SPIRIT 55.5 (MR61) R Satombo – Debra Swanson – (Skitt Skizzle – Caesour’s Spirit by Caesour (USA))

6 Drawn 1 LADY SANZA 55.5 (MR60) D De Gouveia – Gokhan Terzi – (Rafeef (AUS) – Supreme Dynasty by Dynasty)
Same Trainer (2,5)

Photographs by Zimbabwe Equine News

After his Ipi Tombe Stakes win on Sunday 20 February 2022, Finchatton gained 4 and now stands on 99, and What A Dandy (third) dropped to 96 from 97. The rest of the field remained the same.

WHO WENT UP

Varnica + 1 (MR 80); Tradition + 5 (MR 70); Al Mashriq +3 (MR 63); Obscure +3 (MR 67); Finchatton +4 (MR 99).

DOWN

Bruce’s Spirit -3 (MR 46); Chetan – 2 (MR 45); Aneksi – 2 (MR 63); Cool Solution -2 (MR 61); Viscountess Vivien – 2 (MR 60); Seattle Frost – 4 (MR 48); Days Gone By -2 (MR 55); Tulip Way – 1 (MR 74); What A Dandy -1 (MR 96).

Photograph Zimbabwe Equine News: Tradition, with Jarryd Penny aboard, won the 1200m MR 70 Handicap and gained 5 MR points. He is trained by Bridget Stidolph who saddled 3 winners at Borrowdale on Sunday.

This was exciting.

The Thomas Mason trained Jubiliee wanted to win the 1700m Progress Plate at Borrowdale Park on Sunday – and he did – just when it seemed impossible.

By Gimmethegreenlight (AUS), and given a top ride by Apprentice Walter Shumba, Jubilee was bred by Wilgerbosdrift and Mauritzfontein.

Enrapture (nearest camera) and Tulip Way placed second and third. Winning margin 0.10, 0.05 and 2.00 Lengths.

Enrapture (nearest camera) and Tulip Way placed second and third. Winning margin 0.10, 0.05 and 2.00 Lengths.

Photographs by Gavin Macleod and Laurent Viguie

The five-year-old Var (USA) mare Varnica clocked up her eighth victory in the 1200m Pinnacle Plate (85) at Borrowdale Park on Sunday.

Apprentice Walter Shumba was in the irons and Varnica is trained by Debra Swanson who also saddled the winner – Manvir (Takawira) – of the 1000m Maiden Plate.

Varnica is owned by Messrs PD Gorringe, SP Gorringe, V Patel, DK Ward and G Carter.

Congratulations.

Photograph Zimbabwe Equine News.

Jarryd Penny was riding high at Borrowdale on Sunday – piloting three winners for the Stidolph yard in quick succession.

First up was Tradition in the 1200m MR 70 Handicap, then Emerald Floe who won the 1200m Middle Stakes, and finally Obscure in the 2000m Classified Stakes.

Well done Jarryd and everyone else concerned.

Photograph Zimbabwe Equine News: Emerald Floe with owner Rosie Dorward.

The 10-year-old Right Approach (GB) gelding, Finchatton, won the Ipi Tombe Stakes (L) at Borrowdale Park this afternoon. In a thrilling finish Holy Land, What A Dandy and Captain Of Tortuga chased him home.

Gengis Goksel owns the winner as well as having shares in the second horse across the line. Finchatton is trained by Gokhan Terzi, was bred by Wilgerbosdrift, and he has now won nine races. Raymond Danielson was in the irons today.

Congratulations everyone.

Photograph by Laurent Viguie