The 2020 Zimbabwe Guineas (Gr3) – first leg of the Triple Crown – is the feature at Borrowdale Park on Sunday and is due off at 16 15.

Bridget Stidolph will saddle Wantage, Lily Blue and Prescott and I suspect that in the build-up to this race most speculation will be about the star filly, Lily Blue.

On form the daughter of Black Minnaloushe (USA) is the one they must beat.

In this important three-year-old Classic colts and geldings carry 58 kgs and the two fillies 55.5 kgs.

Kirk Swanson’s trio will have supporters, while the Gokhan Terzi yard is represented by two fairly dark horses – Gladstone and Fire To The Rein.

Don’t miss what is likely to be the most exciting race at Borrowdale Park for some time. There are 8 races on the card and the first is due off at 12 50.

Let’s go through the field:

1 (7) WANTAGE 58 kgs (MR81) – K Steyn – B Stidolph
(R:10 W:3 P:6) Ato – Angora by Tamburlaine (IRE)
Winner of the Tote Free Handicap and the Guineas Trial – both races over 1600m. He received 4.5 kgs from Tree Of Wisdom in the Tote Free, but gave weight to Tree Of Wisdom and Donegal Glen in the Guineas Trial. Can Wantage conquer stable companion Lily Blue? The filly had the upper hand in the 1200m Champion Juveniles Stakes in July. I am sure he is going to try.

2 (2) GLADSTONE 58 kgs (MR73) – D Sampson – G Terzi
(R:10 W:1 P:2) Pathfork (USA) – Lupin (AUS) by Royal Academy (USA)
Well fancied when winning his only start at Borrowdale Park on February 19. This was a 1200m Maiden Plate where Gladstone beat first-timer Globe Master by 1.25 lengths. It might have been different had Globe Master not lost two lengths at the start – and his saddle slipped during the running. It is impossible to judge Gladstone on such limited local form – he previously raced in RSA.

3 (6) TREE OF WISDOM 58 kgs (MR71) – N Takawira – K Swanson
(R:10 W:1 P:4) Soft Falling Rain – Minerva by Western Winter (USA)
Had five starts in the Cape and has won and been placed in five starts at Borrowdale. He beat subsequent winner Moxie in a 1600m Maiden on October 20 but since then has finished over the mile behind Sunday’s runners Wantage, Zambezi Rapids and Prescott. I like his breeding so not keen to dismiss him yet.

4 (3) DONEGAL GLEN 58 kgs (MR69) K Derere – K Swanson
(R:3 W:1 P:2) Biarritz – Yakety Yak by Silvino (USA)
Probably has to improve to beat Wantage, Tree Of Wisdom and Lily Blue over the Guineas trip but being lightly raced he might do so. Donegal Glen won a 1600m Maiden in soft going in December.

5 (8) ZAMBEZI RAPIDS 58 kgs (MR69) – D Habib – K Swanson
(R:3 W:2 P:1) Dynasty – Cool River by Western Winter (USA)
Has won his last two starts and could be the pick of the Swanson runners. At the last meeting Tree Of Wisdom was behind Zambezi Rapids in a 1600m Novice Plate. Has yet to meet Wantage and Lily Blue and this will be interesting.

6 (1) FIRE TO THE REIN 58 kgs (MR66) – Greyling – Terzi
(R:8 W:1 P:3) Gimmethegreenlight (AUS) – Dropdeadbeautiful by Spectrum (IRE)
This son of Gimmethegreenlight won his only start at Borrowdale on February 2 beating Tequila Man at level weights by a whisker. This was in a1260m Maiden Plate, but he raced up to 1800m in South Africa. Expect improvement but your guess is as good as mine.

7 (4) LILY BLUE 55.5 kgs (MR89) – M Thackeray – B Stidolph
(R:11 W:5 P:4) Black Minnaloushe (USA) – Mammy Blue (ZIM) by Kitalpha (USA)
In her last three starts Lily Blue has won the Breeders Fillies Mile (L), the 1800m ZNA Charity Champion Fillies Stakes and the 1600m Fillies Classic, the first leg of the Triple Tiara. She takes on the boys here but has the credentials to do so. I am impressed that her connections have accepted the challenge and wish her well. Lily Blue in the line-up makes this a special race.

8 (5) PRESCOTT 55.5 kgs (MR69) – B McNaughton – B Stidolph
(R:9 W:1 P:7) Ato – Taylinlee by Brave Tin Soldier (USA)
Prescott looks well held by her stable companion Lily Blue but this daughter of Ato is a consistent sort. She has finished in the money in 8 of her 9 starts, and you never can tell.

Photographs by Jenny Stock of Zimbabwe Equine News

Diego di Gouveia, replacing Wes Marwing and riding for Kirk Swanson, rode two winners at Borrowdale this afternoon.

He won the 2400m MR 70 Handicap with Ineffable, then quickly followed up with Zambezi Rapids in the 1600m Novice Plate.

Great stuff Diego, and congratulations to all the connections.

Yarraman, with Hennie Greyling up, won the 2020 Ipi Tombe Stakes (L) at Borrowdale Park this afternoon.

The five-year-old Await The Dawn (USA) gelding is owned by Gengiz Goksel and was bred by Limpo Trading (Pty) Ltd. This race over 1600m completed a hat-trick of wins for Yarraman – and a fourth win on the day for the Goksel /Terzi combo. Well done Assistant Trainer Vanessa Birketoft, who runs the Gokhan Terzi satellite yard at Borrowdale, and hearty congratulations to all the connections.

Peggson, second, came up trumps in an exciting finish, and Three To Tango and In The Mood also gave it their best.

Good racing!

Photograph by Jenny Stock

THE FIRST RACE IS OFF AT 13 20

There are 7 races on the card including the Ipi Tombe Stakes (L). Ipi Tombe Day is held at Borrowdale Park, annually, to acknowledge and remember the great Zimbabwe-bred race mare, Ipi Tombe.

Follow this link for today’s TIPS https://zimracing.wordpress.com/tips-for-borrowdale-park/

Follow this link to view and download today’s RACECARD
https://zimracing.wordpress.com/borrowdale-race-card/

Follow this link for CARD CHANGES https://zimracing.wordpress.com/borrowdale-card-changes/

Have a great day.

Saturday’s postponed Borrowdale Park race meeting is rescheduled for tomorrow, Wednesday, with the first race due off at 13 20.

Wednesday racing is unusual for Borrowdale and it will be interesting to see how many manage to drag themselves away from work, golf or whatever.

The card remains the same but expect some changes on Wednesday morning – and the rain must hold off until Thursday.

PLEASE NOTE THE NEW RACE TIMES: 13 20; 13 55; 14 30; 15 05; 15 35; 16 10; 16 40.

(Yesterday morning an email, sent automatically, from this page said racing would be on Sunday but the situation changed. Although that post was altered it did not generate an email so hopefully this will clear up any misunderstandings).

Photograph by Zimbabwe Equine News

There will be racing at Borrowdale Park on Wednesday 19th February 2020, weather permitting. The first race will be off at 13 30 pm.

The race card for Sunday, February 16, remains relevant, as all the races previously scheduled for Sunday’s postponed race meeting have been carried forward.

Racing on Wednesday makes a change so, be there, and celebrate Ipi Tombe’s belated birthday.

NO RACING AT BORROWDALE PARK TODAY

Following a further course inspection – after 16mm of rain – the Borrowdale Park race meeting has been postponed.  The proposal is to move the whole race meeting to next week.

The 2020 Ipi Tombe Stakes (L) will be run over 1600m at Borrowdale Park on Sunday and there is quality in this relatively small field. Colts and geldings all carry 60kgs, while In The Mood, the only mare in the line-up, is on 57.5 kgs.

This competitive race is due off at 15 45 and expect a cracker. Let’s look at the runners:

1 Drawn 4 PEGGSON 60 kgs (MR93) M Thackeray – Bridget Stidolph
(R:25 W:6 P:11)

This five-year-old gelding by Jay Peg is an attractive proposition at level weights with most of the field. He won the race in 2019, beating Twilight Trip who was followed by Simona, Amsterdam, Kevin Barry, Master Switch and Pampas – none of whom take part this time around. Peggson’s last outing was on November 30 in a 1800m MR 90 Handicap where he finished 1.25 lengths behind Sunday’s runner Yarraman who was in receipt of 9.5 kgs. Three To Tango was 3 lengths off Peggson, and also received weight. Peggson has won from 1200m to 2000m and must be a major player.

2 Drawn 6 FAREEQ (AUS) 60 kgs (MR91) D Sampson – Gokhan Terzi
(R:35 W:7 P:14)

By Nadeem (AUS) this 7-year-old gelding is versatile having won over 1800m and 1260 m in his last five starts. In October he beat Yarraman by 5 lengths over 1800m when conceding 5.5 kgs but on January 19 Yarraman turned the tables over the same distance, finishing 3 lengths clear of Sunday’s runner Three To Tango, while Fareeq and In The Mood were further back. Fareeq won twice over 1600m at Turffontein, ran fourth to Amsterdam in the 1600m Independence Trophy, and second to Wolves Among Sheep over the mile in September. That was in a Pinnacle Plate and interestingly Yarraman was one and a half lengths off Fareeq then, at level weights.

3 Drawn 2 YARRAMAN 60 kgs (MR87) H Greyling – Gokhan Terzi
(R:18 W:6 P:8)

Most would agree that Yarraman, a five-year-old gelding by Await The Dawn (USA), has plenty of ability and he goes for a hat-trick on Sunday having won his last two starts over 1800m. He has finished in front of Peggson, Fareeq and Three To Tango before but the question is can he do so again at level weights. The going could be a factor on Sunday and Yarraman has performed well in the soft.

4 Drawn 3 KINGSTON PASSAGE 60 kgs (MR86) K Derere – Kirk Swanson
(R:15 W:4 P:3)

By Western Winter (USA) out of a Horse Chestnut mare, the lightly raced six-year-old has done best over 1000m and 1100m and in fact has not gone further than 1450m so far. He won the 2019 Hachiman Sprint but not sure how he will shape in this one. Kevin Derere who has been missing from Borrowdale for quite a while has the ride.

5 Drawn 1 THREE TO TANGO 60 kgs (MR85) N Takawira – Kirk Swanson
(R:13 W:4 P:7)

This is an acid test for the well-performed four-year-old son of Greys Inn (USA) whose four wins include the 1600m Tote Free Handicap and the 2400m Zimbabwe Derby. He often does better than I expect but has not carried 60 kgs before. There is reason to believe he is out of the ordinary but has a tough task here. He won the Derby in soft going so we shall see.

6 Drawn 5 IN THE MOOD 57.5 kgs (MR81) Wes Marwing – Kirk Swanson
(R:24 W:9 P:11)

In The Mood has actually won more races than the rest of this field but since winning the 1260m Sable Flyers in September has not lived up to expectations. At her best this five-year-old daughter of Bold Silvano could make them all run for their money – especially with a little weight on her side. I am not sure what to expect but will be holding thumbs.

Photographs by Jenny Stock and Andrew Philip.

Lily Blue, a daughter of Black Minnaloushe (USA), won the 1600m Fillies Classic by a country mile – as expected.

Trained by Bridget Stidolph, and with Mathew Thackeray in the irons, the talented filly is owned by the Gin’ll Fix It Syndicate (nominee Kirsty Stidolph), Robyn Macleod and Betty Prosser.  She was bred by Geoff Armitage.

Congratulations to the winning connections.

The first race at Borrowdale Park on Sunday, a 1200m Graduation Plate, was won by Born To Shine and again the Stidolph yard and Thackeray scored.

The Gokhan Terzi yard saddled two winners – Fire To The Rein (Hennie Greyling) and Fareeq ridden by Mathew Thackeray.

Kirk Swanson took the training honours with Diamonds ‘n Rubies (Wes Marwing), Wee Doch ‘n Dorris (*Rodgers Satombo) and Ezekial (Marwing).

Well done everyone.

THE FIRST RACE IS OFF AT 12 20 – NO ENTRY FEE

There are 7 races on the card including the Fillies Classic – the first leg of the Zimbabwe Triple Tiara.

Follow this link for today’s TIPS

 https://zimracing.wordpress.com/tips-for-borrowdale-park/

Follow this link to view and download today’s RACECARD
https://zimracing.wordpress.com/borrowdale-race-card/

Follow this link for CARD CHANGES  https://zimracing.wordpress.com/borrowdale-card-changes/

Have a great day

Farm Yard Tractor is out again at Borrowdale Park in the 1900m Maiden Plate and despite his name is proving to be a consistent sort. It’s considered unlucky to change a horse’s name (I have nothing against tractors but for a racehorse?) so let’s go with a nickname rather and call him John Deere.

He might need a boost to get the better of his stable companion Seattle Frost, and the filly, Diamonds ‘n Rubies, on Sunday, but I am rooting for him, regardless.

This is an interesting field in that Seattle Frost, “John Deere” Diamonds’n Rubies and Hold The Biscuit finished behind Lil Miss Gee in a 1700m Maiden Plate on January 5. Seattle Frost was 2.50 lengths off the winner and “John Deere” 0.05 lengths further back. Diamonds “n Rubies was. 5.55 lengths off Lil Miss Gee.  That day Seattle Frost received 1 kg from his stable mate, but this time they both carry 60 kgs.

I had a word with Thomas Mason who trains Seattle Frost and “John Deere” and, although he expects both to give a good account of themselves, he feels Seattle Frost will relish the extra ground.  Probably true, on breeding, but “John Deere” ran a decent third over 2000m when in South Africa.

Of course, the Twice Over (GB) filly, Diamonds ‘n Rubies, may upset both apple carts and if Farm Yard Tractor doesn’t win I will say he hasn’t had time to get used to his classy nickname. And there are other runners.

Come on, “John Deere”.

Photograph by Jenny Stock: Diamonds ‘n Rubies with Norbert Takawira up. Wes Marwing rides this filly on Sunday, and Takawira is on “John Deere”.

As I am not a fly, I can only guess what might happen behind the scenes at the Final Acceptance stage at Borrowdale Park. Mainly due to the small pool of horses, races fold because of insufficient runners and must be hastily re-opened under different conditions.

The 1260m Open Handicap which was due to be run on Sunday is a case in point. Ten horses were nominated with index figures ranging from 108 down to 78 – it was open to all horses after all.  When the weights were published top sprinter, Coachella was set to carry 67 kgs – a tall ask for any horse – and the bottom weight was 52 kgs.

Not surprisingly Coachella was scratched along with his stable companions Peggson, Christofle and Coastal Torrent.  Armstrong and Golden Lion must have also bowed out as only four of the original runners – Fareeq, Kingston Passage, Silver Coin and What A Dandy – were left in the race.

The new race is called the Open Merit Rated 88 Handicap and the four who stood their ground have been joined by a newcomer at Borrowdale, Daffiq, and Lunar Dancer (MR 58). Now we have a six-horse race but what we don’t have is a chance to see a top horse in action.

Races for our best performers are few and far between and there isn’t another racecourse just down the road to cater for them.  Of course, I haven’t a clue what I am talking about, but wouldn’t it be better to give them a manageable weight more often even if a large portion of the field is running under sufferance?  Good horses add interest and deserve a fair crack of the whip.

On Sunday Fareeq (MR 88) will carry top weight of 60 kgs and will give half a kg to Daffiq, a two-time winner who has scored over 1400m and 1450m in South Africa.  His last race was in November 2018.

Kingston Passage will carry 59 kgs, Silver Coin 58.5 kgs, What A Dandy 55, and Lunar Dancer 52.  Claiming apprentice Rodgers Satombo rides Lunar Dancer but is unlikely to make 48 kgs.

On the 15 December Silver Coin, What A Dandy and Fareeq finished behind Verdier and Coachella in the 1200m SKM Gold Cup.  That day Coachella, 0.05 lengths off the winner, was giving Verdier 11 kgs.

Kingston Passage has not raced since July but won the 1100m Hachiman Sprint in 2019. What A Dandy enjoys the 1260m trip. So does Lunar Dancer, second to White Winter over this distance on January 19. She is drawn on the outside on Sunday.

Silver Coin is always interesting because although bred to stay further he has won over 1200m and 1400m and seems to prefer the shorter distances.  Hennie Greyling rides.

The Open Merit Rated 88 Handicap is due off at 13 30 on Sunday. Racing starts at 12 20.

Photograph by Andrew Philip: Fareeq and Coachella matching paces in a 1100m MR 100 Handicap in November.  Coachella, giving away 7kgs, won.