Ultra Edge, the 2021 Sable Flyers (L} winner, was ridden by Jarryd Penny and followed across the line by Heart Of A Legend, Widjaan, and Seven Seas. Winning margin 2.50 lengths.
The Master Of My Fate filly is trained by Bridget Stidolph and was bred by Varsfontein Stud. She is owned by Messrs R S Dyer, S N Buchan, N Evans, M K Chant, G de Jong, A Dixon, R Morgan, R Sherwood and Bryn Russell.
Congratulations to all the winning connections.
Photograph Gavin Macleod.
The first race at Borrowdale Park today (Sunday) is off at 12 25pm and the main race, the 1260m Sable Flyers (LR), at 15 50.
The meeting can be viewed on TellyTrack DSTV Channel 249 – and the Livestream will be on Clocking The Gallop on UTube.
Tips, Final Fields, Online Card, Card Changes etc can be found on https://zimracing.com/
A direct link to the online race card is https://mcusercontent.com/2a1c7dfa1eb4e4b185607f5a6/files/6e466a11-a217-6a57-78c4-cf48b4c84266/MTC_race_card_10_October_2021.pdf
Eight fillies and mares are due to run in the 1260m Sable Flyers (L) at Borrowdale Park on Sunday, so let’s remember some of those who have been victorious in this race before.
In 2016 the race was won by Invincible Swan (J P van der Merwe), trained by Gokhan Terzi.
Belle Epoque won in 2018 with Apprentice M Mjoko in the irons, trained by Kirk Swanson.
The Swanson yard also won the Sable Flyers in 2018 and 2019 with In The Mood. Francois Herholdt was aboard in 2018, and the following year Norbert Takawira was up.
White Winter, trained by Gokhan Terzi and ridden by Nicky Sibanda, scored in 2020.
Photographs by Gavin MacLeod and Jenny Stock.
FINAL Fields for the Borrowdale Park race meeting on Sunday, October 10, should be available later today, and the feature race is the Sable Flyers for fillies and mares.
The Bridget Stidolph yard was off to a good start to the 2021/22 season, winning four of the seven races on the Borrowdale card on Sunday, 26 September. Port Elizabeth based jockey, Teaque Gould, won with Tradition, Magic Vision, Magic Mike and Love To Bluff.
Love To Bluff scored in the 1000m Borrowdale Plate and has now won 12 races. By Judport (USA), this five-year-old gelding was bred by Millstream Farm and is owned by Messrs R S Dyer, S N Buchan, N Evans, M K Chant, G de Jong, A Dixon, R Morgan, A Sherwood, G Carter and Mr J P Lewis.
The Debra Swanson yard had two winners – Bold Idyll (Herholdt) and Tulip Way (*Shumba), and Wijdaan (Matsunyane) won for Vanessa Birketoft of V Racing.
Congratulations to all the winning connections.
Photographs: Zimbabwe Equine News
There is racing at Borrowdale Park after a break of 86 days, and the first race is off at 12 35 pm. It is a 7-race card with the main race at 16 05.
The meeting will take place behind closed doors but can be viewed on DSTV Channel 249 – and the Livestream on Clocking The Gallop will be on this site.
The Park View restaurant will be open during races with numbers strictly limited to 100, and a COVID-19 vaccination certificate or a negative PCR test result (within 48hrs) will be required for entry. As normal, entry is for paid-up members and their guests (USD10 per person entrance fee). Dress code is smart casual, collared shirts for men, no jeans or shorts.
The parade ring, unfortunately, remains closed to owners
Photograph by Zimbabwe Equine News.
His new Borrowdale Park yard was getting into stride when COVID struck, but far from being a candidate for a padded cell, Trainer Thomas Mason is extremely upbeat about the new racing season.
Despite the lengthy lockdowns, and on and off race meetings for months and months, things are looking up. Tomcat Racing has a couple of new owners – and we all know those are like hen’s teeth.
Michael de Haast (IRC), and Craig Dankwerts, have entered into partnership in a two-year-old Vercingetorix filly, Evocative, out of the Fantastic Light mare, Especially (IRE) – part of the formidable E-family which includes Elusive Fort and Empress Club. Fantastic Light, now retired from stud duties, was one of Godolphin’s original globetrotters. racing in seven countries and winning G1 contests in five.
It was recently reported that the International Racing Club (IRC) is approaching the 70-winner mark, worldwide, and with 45 runners in South Africa, the club has won 12 races and secured 18 places, so far. Joao da Mata and Michael de Haast, with his wife, Laura, launched IRC six years ago. One can join as a syndicate member, partner or fractional owner. It’s all about affordability, attracting more people into racing, and sharing the thrills.
Craig Dankwerts, has been racing at Borrowdale Park for many years, and he will also be supporting Tomcat Racing with three colts.
Strictly speaking Sibongile Moyo, who gets top marks for enthusiasm, is not a new owner having had shares in Tomcat Racing runners before. Now two of her horses, True Beauty and Diesel ‘n Dust, recently on holiday, are to join the Tomcat team.
It is not surprising Tom is feeling optimistic. He started his yard from scratch in August 2019 and you can catch up on some background in an article published in Sporting Post at that time – https://www.sportingpost.co.za/2019/08/thomas-mason-zimbabwe-trainer/
Since then, memorable Tomcat Racing moments include Rawedge’s triumph in the 2700m Sunshine Cup in September 2019, and Holy Land, winning the Independence Trophy in June 2020.
So, onwards and upwards, Mr Mason, and all the best for 2021/22.
Racing returns to Borrowdale Park on Sunday and some very familiar faces now have new roles.
Former Borrowdale Apprentice Jockey O’Meara Rusike has joined Tomcat Racing with a view to becoming an assistant trainer in due course. In addition, former assistant trainers, Vanessa Birketoft of Vee Racing, and Debra Swanson of Swanson Racing, now have their Trainers Licenses.
O’Meara has recently returned from South Africa after a stint at the South African Apprentice Academy followed by three months at Drakenstein Stud.
And do not forget…Rodgers Satombo is now a fully-fledged jockey and so can no longer claim.
Due to COVID lockdowns and so forth the last Borrowdale Park race meeting took place on July 2, and this will be the first meeting of the 2021/22 racing season. There are seven races on Sunday’s card and Final Fields are published on this site.
The first race on Sunday is due off at 12.35 pm and the feature race, the 1000m Borrowdale Plate, at 16.05.
Photograph: O’Meara Rusike has joined Tomcat Racing.
The MTC has announced that the meeting scheduled for July 31st has had to be abandoned.
Details about future plans, scarification etc, to follow within a day or two.
This has been a disappointing year with enforced racing breaks, thanks to COVID-19, and constant changes. However, one thing is certain. Come what may the 2020/21 racing season in Southern Africa will end on the 31st July.
On 1st August all Thoroughbred horses foaled in the Southern Hemisphere officially become one year older. If the Borrowdale Park race meeting cannot take place before the end of this month that will put paid to the 2021 Zimbabwe Oaks (third leg of our Triple Tiara) and the 2021 Champion Juvenile Stakes.
The race meeting scheduled for July 18 had to be abandoned as permission was not forthcoming and, apparently, the Mashonaland Turf Club is not permitted to apply for permission to race until July 26. If the SRC gives the go-ahead then (and we know that seldom happens timeously), permission must then be sought from the ZRP and COH.
All going well this could mean an important race meeting (behind closed doors) having to be set up within two or three days. Difficult as this would be the MTC would do so as plans have already been made to run the 2021 Castle Tankard on July 31.
So that’s where we stand right now with everything up in the air. Meanwhile, racing continues around the rest of the world – and in many countries, spectators can now attend.
Watch this space.
The Mashonaland Turf Club has advised that they were unable to get the necessary clearances by the deadline on Tuesday, and therefore the race meeting scheduled for Sunday, July 18, has been abandoned.
With regard to the meeting to be held on the 31st of July 2021, a decision will be made in due course.
Seven of Zimbabwe’s top middle-distance horses will line up for the 1700m Johnny Dardagan Pinnacle Plate 100 at Borrowdale Park this Friday.
Sadly, Mr Dardagan passed away in Cape Town recently and he will be particularly remembered by family and friends at this race meeting, which we will all be watching from home.
In this top field finding the winner will not be easy although Mr Greenlight, Wantage and Three To Tango are first to catch the eye. The Swanson stable will saddle Three To Tango, Bugatti Blue and Horseplay, while the Terzi yards are represented by Mr Greenlight, Yarraman and Edward The Seventh. Bridget Stidolph is pinning all her hopes on Wantage.
It should be a great race and a fitting tribute to one of Borrowdale’s ardent supporters who will be missed.
The first race on Friday is at 12.15 and the Pinnacle Plate is due off at 16.25. This an 8-race card and the Livestream will be shown by Clocking The Gallop on UTube.
Photographs by Jenny Stock, Gavin MacLeod and Andrew Philip.
The Gokhan Terzi yards hit the high spots again at Borrowdale Park on Wednesday, winning five of the seven carded races.
Veseo (shown here) was the winner of the 1200m MR 80 Handicap and is owned by the Brumby Syndicate (nominee: Grant Littleford). Diego De Gouveia in the irons.
The Terzi/ De Gouveia combo also scored with Seven Seas in the 1200m Graduation Plate and Karvani in the 1600m Maiden Plate.
Calvin Habib, riding for Terzi, won with Armstrong (1600m MR 85 Handicap), and Shesalegend (1700m MR 65 Handicap).
Congratulations to all the winning connections – very well done.
Photograph by Laurent Viguie.
Racing at Borrowdale Park in Harare - Zimbabwe 