Although not a main feature at Borrowdale Park on Friday, the 2000m Pinnacle Plate 100 is probably the closest we will get to a ‘Tankard’ field in 2020 – with the complication of riders who can claim.

Roosting at the top of the list of runners is relative newcomer Owlinthetree who, along with stable companion Peggson, carries 60 kgs.

The trouble is whenever I see that name, I think of former Borrowdale trainer Collin Nicholson. I recall he had a mini fit one day when an owl settled on his roof. Of course, in the dim days before the dark days, we were very superstitious and longed to kill if someone said ‘Good Luck’ before a race. That doesn’t seem to matter anymore (or so they think).

With that out of the way let’s be serious.

Four stables are represented in this line-up. Bridget Stidolph will saddle Owlinthetree and Peggson; Vee Racing and Tomcat Racing are pinning their hopes on Fareeq and Holy Land respectively, and the Swanson yard is in with Three To Tango, Bugatti Blue, Legend and Arte.

Legend, by Gimmegreenlight (AUS) is having his second start in Harare and is rather a dark horse being a winner over 1400m and 1600m.

Owlinthetree by Dynasty out of a Giant’s Causeway (USA) mare, won two races at Turffontein over 1800m. He has had one start at Borrowdale in the 1600m Graduation Plate on June 3, where he came second to Bam Bam Pebbles.

Without a doubt, Peggson is the super trooper in this line-up. A winner of 7 races from 1200m to 2000m, including the Ipi Tombe Stakes and the Castle Tankard in 2019, and more recently the 2000m Breeders Champions Cup where Friday’s runner Three to Tango was three lengths back receiving 2 kgs. Bugatti Blue ran third.

Peggson’s last outing was on June 3 in the 1600m Independence Trophy won by Holy Land. Pegasus ran fourth with Fareeq and Three To Tango in front of him but this was a tight finish – the first four were within 0.90 lengths. Legend was further back.

In the 2019 Tankard Peggson carried 57 kgs, and lightly weighted Leven Point, Fareeq and Arte filled the minor places. This time Fareeq meets Peggson on tougher terms, but Arte comes in at 50 kgs with a claiming apprentice in the irons. Wow.

Independence Trophy winner, Holy Land, still receives 4 kgs from Peggson, Bugatti Blue has a claiming apprentice on board, and 2019 Zimbabwe Derby Winner, Three To Tango, can’t be ignored.

The only certainty is that Peggson has quite a lot to do. I can’t wait to see the betting.

The first race on Friday is off at 12.25. The Zimbabwe Derby is due off at 15.05, and the Pinnacle Plate 100 at 15.40. No spectators allowed on the course but you can watch on DSTV Channel 239.

Photograph by Zimbabwe Equine News

One of the closest finishes at Borrowdale Park for quite a while occurred in the 1600m MR 50 Handicap on Friday – and two claiming appies actually stole this show. The winning margins were: 0.05 – 0.05 and 0.50 lengths.

*Rodgers Satombo on Supa Memories and *Walter Shumba on Crown Brewed put their heads down and gave it their all with *Satombo snatching the verdict by a whisker.

Brendon McNaughton and Rose Diamond (third) were conceding oodles of weight  and what a finish.

Great stuff – it is moments like this that get people hooked on racing.

Photograph by Andrew Philip: Crown Brewed (centre), Supa Memories (left)and rose Diamond on the right.  Missy Franklin ran fourth.

As expected, Zambezi Rapids reversed the result with Wantage, recent winner of the Zimbabwe 2000, when they met in the 1800m Allowance Plate at Borrowdale Park on Friday.  

Wantage was giving his rival 5 kgs and, coming from a long way back, finished only 1.75 lengths behind him.  In the 2400m Zimbabwe Derby they will meet at level weights and both will have their supporters, although on breeding Zambezi Rapids (Dynasty – Cool River by Western Winter (USA) probably has the edge over Bridget Stidolph’s charge (Ato – Angora by Tamburlaine (IRE).

We shall see.

Trained by Kirk Swanson, with Norbert Takawira up, Zambezi Rapids is owned by Messrs C & R Kieswetter and bred by Highlands Farms Stud (Pty) Ltd. Wantage (Nyamagwete) is owned by Newbury Racing (Pty) Ltd. (nominee Mr D E Evans) and bred by Newbury Racing & Breeding Ltd.  Well done everyone – we look forward to another great race.

On Friday Tree Of Wisdom (*Satombo) tried to make every post a winning one, but had to settle for third, and Prescott was fourth.

Photograph of Zambezi Rapids taken by Andrew Philip.

Not only did Coachella carry 62 kgs in the Pinnacle Plate 105 at Borrowdale Park on Friday – and win – the six-year-old Alado (GB) gelding smashed the course and class records. His time over the 1100m trip was 62.39 seconds.

Life Is Good previously held the Course Record – 62.99 carrying 58kgs. In November 2013 Two Buck Chuck set the Class Record – 64.99 with 50 kgs.

Coachella is trained by Bridget Stidolph and Norbert Takawira was in the irons. 

Owner John Koumides had the added distinction of having two horses in his colours duelling up the straight before Coachella pulled away to win.  What A Dandy (Derere) came second, followed by Christofle (Nyamagwete) then Clash City Rocker (Sibanda). Coachella was bred by Professor I M Sanne.

Congratulations everyone.

Photograph by Andrew Philip.

Coachella has won 8 eight races from 1000 to 1260 m including the 2017 HRIB Gold Cup (carrying 61 kgs).

In the 2018 HRIB he carried 63 kgs and finished only 1.5 lengths off Twilight Trip – Road To Dubai (52 kgs) was second.  The winner was also set to carry 52 but had claiming apprentice Liam Tarentaal on board that day

In the 2019 Gold Cup Coachella was just touched off by Verdier (receiving 11 kgs) and Friday’s runners Silver Coin and What A Dandy were further back.

The Gold Cup is over 1200m, but Friday’s 1100m Pinnacle Plate at Borrowdale Park should suit Coachella (62kgs) very well. He has won four times over this trip and will be back up the straight for the first time since the Gold Cup outing in December 2019.  With the outside draw, I expect this six-year-old Alado (GB) gelding will be hard to beat despite carrying top weight – again.

Coachella is trained by Bridget Stidolph, and this time Norbert Takawire has the ride. Morgan Nyamagwete is on stable companion Christofle  (54kgs) – also no slouch over 1100m.  Silver Coin, What A Dandy and Clash City Rocker all have some claims to sprinting fame, but…

Go for it Coachella.

The video of the race meeting is pinned at https://facebook.com/zimracing

We are still trying to make a plan to get it on this site.

Newcomer to Borrowdale Park, Holy Land, came from the clouds to win the 1600m Independence Trophy at Borrowdale Park today.

The four-year-old Ideal World gelding is owned by is owned by Messrs G. Goksel, G Carter, D T Machingaidze and Mesdames P J Lewis, C M de Jong, A G Mason and S Ziehl. He is trained by Tomcat Racing and Kevin Derere was in the irons. He was bred by Wilgersbosdrift and Mauritzfontein.

Thomas Mason also saddled two winners earlier in the day – Rawedge (*Munashe Josi) and Seattle Frost (Kevin Derere).

Venessa Birkentoft, assistant trainer at Vee Racing, also had a good day, scoring with Widjaan (Norbert Takawira), Clash City Rocker (*Rodgers Satombo) and Bam Bam Pebbles (Brendon McNaughton).

Vee Racing may in fact have had four winners because the last race was too close for the commentator to call between Moxie and Flapjack – and to be honest I don’t have a clue who won. Do not worry – the full racing results will be published later.

Today was a case of too much multi-tasking from my point of view. Trying to update pages, getting the times wrong, losing my place on the online racecard, and tuning into the live feed from Borrowdale Park, while watching Tellytrack on DSTV.

Hopefully, there will be more time to get organised before the next Borrowdale race meeting. Congratulations to all the winners and runners-up at Borrowdale today.

Borrowdale Park gets the nod at last

There will be racing behind closed doors at Borrowdale Park on Wednesday, 3rd June 2020, This will be the first race meeting in Zimbabwe since March 27, due to the Covid-19 lockdown.

It is an early start -the first race is due off at 10 35.and the feature is the Independence Trophy. No spectators will be allowed on the course so tune in to DSTV, Channel 239.

The Mashonaland Turf Club has been working closely with the SRC, NHRA and the Minister of Sport in order to comply with the necessary protocols. Going forward, each race meeting will require its own separate application, and approval.

Final fields. https://zimracing.wordpress.com/

Photograph: Depositphotos.com

The ZimFun Racing Club Ltd is gathering steam so who are these people behind this innovative venture? They need no introduction to regular attendees at Borrowdale Park but are hoping to cast the net far wider than that. Those investing some hard-earned cash need to see some credentials.

 Regular columnist and economic and political analyst,The Centaurian, aka C. John Smith MBE, came up with the idea and he will serve as Chairman of the unpaid Board of Directors. Spencer Murray is the Director of Purses, and Sandra Mehlomakhulu the Director of Celebrations.

John Smith is a successful businessman with farming (and extensive racing) interests both in the United Kingdom and Zimbabwe. He has a B.Sc. in agriculture and an M.Sc. Marketing. He is a citizen of Zimbabwe and the United Kingdom and currently on an extended assignment in Zimbabwe.

From Yorkshire farming stock he worked for the Agricultural Marketing Authority years ago, was a Director of Zimplugs (Pvt) Ltd – a horticultural company in Zimbabwe from 1997 to 2001 when the farm was taken over, and was Financial Director of the Mushroom Bureau UK  for 13 years.

During the 1980’s Mr Smith was General Manager of Metal Box Central Africa Ltd, and Managing Director of Chubb Union Security Ltd, based in Harare.  He set up two companies in the UK – Greyfriars (UK) Ltd in 1989 and Northern Produce Ltd the following year. These supplied fresh produce to major supermarket groups across Europe – growing into a multi-million-pound corporation. In 2006 he was awarded Fresh Produce Packer of the Year at the Industry Oscars – then sold out his interest in 2012.

He was awarded an MBE in the 1995 Queen’s Birthday Honours list for work and contributions to the Disability Discrimination Act promulgated in that year. A polio victim, John survived a bad car accident in 1981 which left him “with a gammy leg”.

Finally, we come to John’s racing interests.  A former Chairman of the Mashonaland Owners & Trainers Association, he has raced in the United Kingdom, South Africa and Zimbabwe and had about 170 winners – some people have all the luck. He is a Founder Member and Chairman of the Centaur Syndicate which has existed for 40 years.  Initially Earl Of Surrey raced in John’s colours when this great horse made his name, winning the Group 1 Golden Horse Casino, RSA, carrying top weight.

John Smith describes himself as “outspoken, opinionated, driven, professional, a grafter, pain in the arse, fearless, a jester and general piss taker”. That apart I would say he is reliable and very efficient.

Lisa Harris has known John since way back when and says “I met John many years ago when I used to accompany my parents to the races as a schoolgirl.  John used to be the “gate guard” at the Members Bar and we used to sit and study the form together as I was not permitted into the bar! So, my friendship with him has spanned many, many years. 

“He joined my stable when Noelene left for Durban and the Centaur horses came to me for training. I was soon to learn that John was one of the owners that every trainer sought! Aside from his success as a businessman, he is a genuine, extremely kind and honest person, amusing, strong in times of adversity, but above all a loyal and trustworthy friend who always remains true to his word”.  

(For the latest update from THE CENTAURIAN on the ZimFun Racing Club go to https://zimracing.wordpress.com/the-centaurian-takes-aim/ )

Photograph: C John Smith with the late Dubbles Draper at the National Yearling Sales in Harare, back in the day

There will be no racing at Borrowdale Park on Friday. Maybe next week.

The Mashonaland Turf Club have issued the following Press Release:

The MTC has been working closely with the Ministry for Youth, Sports, Art and Recreation in their efforts to safely allow the resumption of Sport in Zimbabwe during this COVID-19 pandemic. We would like to thank the Minister for taking the initiative and categorizing the various sports into risk categories which at least manages the expectations of the various sporting organisations as to when their respective sports may recommence.

The MTC fully supports the Minister and her team to bring clarity to this process where none existed before and whilst we are of course disappointed that we are unable to race at the moment we are confident the Minister has heard our case and arguments for as early resumption as is possible.

During this time of National Crisis, we urge other sports, whether they are professionally based such as Horse racing or for purely recreational purposes to support our Minister in her efforts to convince her colleagues in Government to allow sports and recreation to open up in a safe and time-appropriate manner. We can do this by following the guidance that the Ministry and SRC may publish and to not try to circumnavigate such guidance for their own parochial self-interest. Such circumnavigation will only be seized upon by other interest groups as proof that Sports cannot be trusted with an early release from the ‘lockdown’ and we believe that will be counter-productive for all sports in the medium term.

Gary Carter
Chairman Mashonaland Turf Club