The Borrowdale Park Tipsters could be on a hiding to nothing tomorrow – and please don’t ask “What’s New?”

The going was soft at the December 11 meeting and there has been plenty of rain this week, with the possibility of more. At Borrowdale, the going is on top for most of the year so identifying mudlarks is somewhat hit and miss.

Surprisingly, the tipsters seem to have few doubts about the winners of three of the seven races on Sunday’s card.

Red Pollard has all the support in the 1450m MR 65 Handicap and Port Elizabeth jockey, Teaque Gould, has the ride. In the 1600m MR 85 Handicap three out of four tipsters have taken Mr Greenlight to win, with Nikki Sibanda in the irons.

Citrusdal, with Jarryd Penny up, is the unanimous choice for the 1700m MR 75 Handicap, and the son of Duke Of Marmalade (IRE) is hoping for a hat-trick here.

The get-out stakes are a 1900m Pinnacle Plate 100, but here the tipsters are evenly split between Peggson and Yarraman.

The first race is due off at 11 35 – and “closed doors” still applies.

True Beauty, the three-year-old daughter of the Jet Master sire Skitt Skizzle, won the 1600mTote Free Handicap at Borrowdale Park on Friday, adding another feature win to her tally.

She won the 1200m Jacaranda Free Handicap in October and has won three of her seven starts – so far – doing owners Ms S P Moyo and Mr G Tafeni proud. True Beauty is trained by Kirk Swanson and Apprentice Rodgers Satombo was in the irons. The filly was bred by Bosworth Farm Stud.

Congratulations to all the winning connections.

Photograph Zimbabwe Equine News

Dindingwe has bowed out of the 1600m Tote Free Handicap for three-year-olds, leaving her stablemates, True Beauty and Magnus Maximus, very much in the running.

Trained by Kirk Swanson, True Beauty recently won the 1200m Jacaranda Free Handicap. She has dealt with all of Willfull Path, Mazikeen, Mind Master, Obscure and Suave Judge before, and with Apprentice Rodgers Satombo in the irons on Friday should only carry 56 kgs.

Magnus Maximus and True Beauty have yet to meet in a race and the lightly raced son of Jackson is harder to assess. He has won two of his three starts but has yet to go around the turn.

Although I summarily dismissed Obscure and Suave Judge earlier, maybe that was too hasty. This is a handicap, and this pair receive weight from the field.

Suave Judge from the Terzi yard is by Judpot (USA). Two of his three starts were in open company and he finished in front of subsequent winner Farm Yard Tractor in a 1600m Maiden Plate.

At the last meeting the well-connected Obscure won a 1450m Maiden Plate impressively – and if she really has her act together now, Bridget Stidolph’s charge could surprise.

Weather permitting, Borrowdale Park’s major sprint, the US$3 000 National Foods Gold Cup, will be run over 1200m on Friday afternoon.  This year the field of 8 runners includes three former Gold Cup winners – Coachella, Twilight Trip and Verdier.

Coachella won this race in 2017, carrying 61 kgs; Twilight Trip, set to carry 52 kgs and with a claiming apprentice in the irons, won the following year, and in 2019 Verdier (52 kgs) beat Coachella (63 kgs) by 0.05 lengths.

This time Coachella will ‘only’ carry 62 kgs, while Twilight Trip and Verdier come in at 52.5 and 52 kgs respectively. The chances are Coachella will have to settle for one of the minor places again, while one of the light weights comes skipping through.

Gladstone and White Winter were both set to carry the minimum weight but Gladstone, with Greyling up, will be 1 kg over. Fareeq, ridden by Takawira, will receive 5 kgs from Coachella, Christofle 5.5, and Armstrong 8kgs.

As it stands at present the going on Friday is likely to be on the soft side, which is an added imponderable.

On recent form, and taking weight into account, Christofle gets my vote, without much confidence. Armstrong, maybe, and White Winter is consistent. Who knows?

It will be an interesting race because, possibly, one of the previous winners can collect a Gold Cup double. 

The first race on Friday is due off at 12 10 and the Gold Cup will be run at 16 15.  This is the second feature race as the 1600m Tote Free Handicap is also part of the 8-race card.

Photographs by Zimbabwe Equine News.

One must respect Coachella. At the last Borrowdale Park race meeting the seven-year-old son of Alado (GB) recorded his 11^th win in the 1100m Pinnacle Plate – and once again Coachella was giving plenty of weight to all his rivals.

The start of this race was farcical with two false starts being called. According to the Stipendiary Board Report:’ a) The Starter called a false start when COACHELLA (J Penny) starting stall gate opened slower than the rest of the field. COACHELLA (J Penny), CHRISTOFLE (R Satombo), ARMSTRONG (N Takawira), TWILIGHT TRIP (T Gould) and WHITE WINTER (N Sibanda) were returned to the start, checked by the Veterinary Surgeon, passed fit to race and reloaded. All runners were restrained with the exception of VERDIER (B McNaughton) which bolted and was subsequently scratched by the Veterinary Surgeon.

‘Another false start was called when COACHELLA (J Penny) starting stall gate opened slow again, all horses were restrained and checked by the Veterinary Surgeon, passed fit to race and reloaded.’

After that I felt anything could happen and 200m from the finish did not rate Coachella’s chances. However, the plucky campaigner beat Armstrong, receiving 6kgs, by three-parts of a lengths, with White Winter and Christofle in the minor places.

Congratulations to the winning connections, including owner John Koumides and trainer, Bridget Stidolph.

Coachella is among the 10 horses nominated for the 1200m National Foods Gold Cup (Gr3) due to be run on Friday, December 11. Whether or not he will stand his ground remains to be seen but he has a sparkling Gold Cup history, having won this race in 2017 when he beat Super Good giving away 6kgs.

Coachella won his first race, a 1260m Maiden Plate, on 2016 Gold Cup Day, when he got the better of Roberta’s Passion. The following year he won the Gold Cup, and since then has given a good account of himself in each Gold Cup despite the handicapper’s best efforts. 

Twilight Trip and What A Dandy finished in front of Coachella in 2018, both in receipt of at least 10 kgs. In 2019 this race was won by Verdier, who beat Coachella by 0.05 lengths when receiving 11 kgs.  

The weights and draws for the 2020 Gold Cup are out, with acceptances on Monday. Coachella is set to carry 62 kgs and Verdier 52 kgs…

At this stage one can but wonder.

Not to be outdone by her older sister, Lily Blue, Obscure got her act together at Borrowdale Park on Saturday and came with a storming finish to win the 1450 Maiden Plate.

Veseo, Tricky Business and Master Futura had to settle for the minor places.

Earlier in the week Lily Blue, Zimbabwe’s 2020 Champion Three-Year-Old, had won impressively at the Vaal.

In the post-race interview trainer Bridget Stidolph said Obscure was a big filly who was taking time to mature. However on Saturday the genes came through.

Both Obscure and Lily Blue were bred by Geoff Armitage (Black Minnaloushe (USA) – Mammy Blue (ZIM) by Kitalpha (USA)) – and going further back Henk Leyenaar bought Mammy Blue from Christopher Peech at the Zimbabwe Yearling Sales, raced her both in ZImbabwe and South Africa; never registered as a breeder but has been following the family with great interest ever since.

On Saturday Obscure was ridden by Port Elizabeth jockey Teague Gould, and the three-year-old filly is owned by the Gin’ll Fix It Syndicate (nominee Kirsty Stidolph) and Betty Prosser.

Congratulations to the winning connections – I can’t wait to see how Obscure goes on from here.

Photographs Zimbabwe Equine News Below – Obscure (Teague Gould) then Veseo (Kevin Derere).

Futura Doro didn’t hang about, but Norbert Takawira and Moxie, came through to win the 1800m Champion Fillies Stakes when it counted.

Diamonds ‘n Rubies, Futura Doro and Milford Sound filled the minor places.

This is the five-year-old mare’s sixth victory. By Brave Tin Soldier (USA), and bred by Summerhill Stud, Moxie is trained by Gokhan Terzi’s satellite yard at Borrowdale Park, and owned by Gengiz Goksel.

Congratulations to the winning connections.

Earlier on Saturday afternoon the Terzi/Takawira combo won the 1100m MR 80 Handicap with Gladstone.

Photographs by Zimbabwe Equine News

The first race at Borrowdale Park today, Saturday, November 28, 2020, is off at 13 25.

COVID-19 protocols apply so racing is still behind closed doors.

View or download the Online Race Card and find Final Fields, Tips, Card Changes, Borrowdale Videos etc here.

The SandSport Livestream from Borrowdale will be on ClockingThe Gallop on UTube. Click the link on our Borrowdale Video page.

In addition, the Borrowdale races will be on DSTV Tellytrack Channel 249.

The 1800m Champion Fillies Stakes, last race of the day, is due off at 16 55.

Photograph by Gavin MacLeod.

Three stables contest the 1800m Champion Fillies Stakes at Borrowdale Park on Saturday, and the Terzi yard probably has the strongest hand with recent winner over the distance, Milford Sound, and Moxie.

Milford Sound, by Flower Alley (USA) out of a Fort Wood mare, carries top weight; Nikki Sibanda rides, and the question is can she give away weight and win? A winner at Turffontein over 1600m, Milford Sound scored at Borrowdale over 1800m on October 30 when, receiving 3.5 kgs, she beat Seattle Frost by six lengths. Impressive, but she may have to dig deeper here.

Norbert Takawira has the ride on Moxie who will receive 1.5 kgs from Milford Sound on Saturday. To date her winning trips have been over 1600m and 1700m, but last time out Moxie ran a close second to Zambezi Rapids in a 1800m MR 80 Handicap, receiving I kg. This brings her into the reckoning.

Bridget Stidolph will saddle Bam Bam Pebbles, Fortuna Doro and Targaryen Queen.  I suspect the first two just might prefer a bit shorter, and locally Targaryen Queen is a dark horse. However, this daughter of Jackson won a 1800m Maiden Plate at the Vaal in November 2019, and subsequently, also in Gauteng, won twice over 1600m.  On Saturday claiming apprentice Munashe Josi rides.   

Diamonds ‘n Rubies by Twice Over (GB) is the lone runner from the Kirk Swanson yard but if she regains previous form could pose a real threat. She has been disappointing lately but has won at Borrowdale over 1800m and 1900m. Claiming apprentice Rodgers Satombo will be in the irons.

This feature race is due off at 16 55.

The strict protocols imposed by the SRC remain in force. No more than 50 members will be allowed into Park View at Borrowdale Park on November 28. Paid-up members have free access on the day, with signed-in guests attracting a $10 entrance fee.

One owner per horse will be allowed into the Parade Ring prior to a race, and only one winning owner will be allowed into the Ring after a race.

Unlike a rolling stone the ZimFun Racing Club is gathering more shareholders and C. John Smith ( Cjohnsmith1@aol.com ) is aiming for many more…

Tricky Business, owned by ZimFun, is having his second start at Borrowdale Park on Saturday, after his close second on October 30. More shareholders leads to more ZimFun horses, and plans are afoot to get another one – soon.

At US$100 per share – which includes part ownership in all Zimfun horses, plus training fees for a year – there is no better deal around. What is particularly encouraging is that some Borrowdale “old-timers” who have moved on to greener pastures, are buying shares in ZimFun. I can’t think of a better way to have some fun – while keeping in touch with friends.

The first race at Borrowdale on Saturday is due off at 13 25.  Tricky Business runs in the 1450m Maiden Plate at 15 10.

Joan Stangroom, long-time fan and supporter of Borrowdale Park and racing in general, passed peacefully in KZN on Friday November 20, and our thoughts are with her much loved family at this difficult time.

I don’t know if Joan ever had a share in a racehorse but she worked tirelessly in the interests of Borrowdale Park, and retained that keen interest even after moving down south.

It all began when Joan was a super secretary at Mashonaland Holdings in the time of TC Hardy and Mike Joughin, both actively involved in the affairs of MOTA and the MTC. Joan was soon press-ganged into becoming MOTA Secretary, and when she left Mashonaland Holdings, she worked full-time for MOTA from the TBA offices at the racecourse.

Jackie Cocksedge recalls, “In those days MOTA probably had a membership in excess of 1000, so a lot of admin and organisation was involved. Joan was very, very efficient, always smiling and she never lost her sense of humour.”

Joan, with her warm and outgoing personality, made many friends in racing over the years. She kept in touch during regular visits to Harare until health issues interfered – and she will be missed. She was a passionate, hands-on gardener, and used to beg me to “get rid of those awful things, they will just take over” – not realising I was thankful they were at least prolific.

If you are looking down from your cloud, Joan, you will be pleased the drought and a failing borehole have taken care of those things.

Bye for now, Joan. The memories will linger.