The Amy Bronkhorst yard has moved from Borrowdale Park to a farming area and on Sunday Amy saddled her first runners since making the move.
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A change is said to be as good as a holiday and Piece Of Pizzaz, by AP Answer (USA), seems to have settled in well. Always prominent in the 1600m Maiden Plate, the four-year-old filly kept finding more, finally beating In The Oven by 0.05 lengths.

The five-year-old Var (USA) gelding, Avaricious, won the  1800m Merit Rated 55 Handicap  at Borrowdale Park on Sunday, well clear of Anthony’s Lazer.

Chase Maujean was riding for Penny Fisher, and Avaricious is owned by the Zonke Ena Mushe Syndicate.  It is always good to see some of Borrowdale’s most enthusiastic supporters finish in the money.

Avaricious was bred by Messrs M.C. Berzack and B. Joffe. Winning margin 2 lengths, starting price 4/1.

The Seventh Rock (AUS) filly, Belle Epoque, made it two in a row when winning the 1200m MR 65 Handicap at Borrowdale on Sunday. She was followed by Princeton Tiger, Cool Solution and Aquaba. The fancied Uptown Gal and Romantic Balladeer, finished fifth and sixth.

Belle Epoque is trained by Gokhan Terzi and Juan Paul van der Merwe was in the irons. The four-year-old filly, now a three-time winner, is owned by Christopher Peech and was bred by Rumbavu Park Stud. The winning margin was 4.75 lengths, starting price 9/2.

Without doubt the most exciting finish at Borrowdale on October 23 involved Tandava (above) and Comanche Brave (3/4), in the  1800m Merit Rated 80 Handicap. At the line they were separated by the proverbial whisker.

By Century Stand (AUS), Tandava is owned and bred by Dave Rosser . Hennie Greyling rode for Gokhan Terzi.

Noble Peer and Madigan brought up the rear.

The five-year-old Rebel King mare, Carla The Rebel, won the 1800m ZRP Fillies Charity Stakes at Borrowdale Park on Sunday – winning margin 1.25 lengths, starting price 9/2.

Her stable mates, Scarlett Ice and Ladies First, ran second and fourth, while Print The Pounds had to settle for third place.

Photograph: Zimbabwe Equine News. Comanche Brave winning the 1600m MR 74 Handicap, with style.

Racing needs heroes.  It seems Zimbabwe racing may have an up and coming rising star in Comanche Brave but,  just how good is he?

We should find out on Sunday when the son of Kahal (GB) runs in the MR 80 Handicap over 1800m. To date the four-year-old gelding has raced seven times, and in his five races at Borrowdale Park has scored three times – impressively.

This week I would prefer to do anything other than think about racing previews. Not because Sunday’s Borrowdale Park fields are boring – quite the opposite in fact. Two of the seven carded races have obvious choices, Print The Pounds and Madigan, and perhaps that’s the problem.

Neither need any introduction to Borrowdale punters. They have proved themselves time and again, but unfortunately I can’t recall whether they have small hooves and a low knee action…necessary attributes when the going gets hard, I am told. Of course this pair can handle the going being on top…they race in Zimbabwe….but, barring a welcome cloudburst, there is likely to be plenty of sting in the ground.

Print The Pounds carries top weight in the 1600m ZRP Fillies Charity Stakes and will be giving 8 kgs to the rest of the field – and they should be getting more. On paper it looks like a walk in the park for five-year-old Print The Pounds, a winner of 6 races including the 1600m Zimbabwe Guineas and the 2015 ZNA Charity Handicap where she beat Rock The Country.

At the last Borrowdale meeting Print The Pounds ran third in the 1800m ZNA Charity Handicap, her first outing since July when she finished down the field in the Republic Cup. Fanie Chambers rides on Sunday and the full-sister to Duffi’s Call is drawn 3 out of 9.

In addition to Print The Pounds, Bridget Stidolph will also saddle Genial, Ride Of Honour, Dictate and La Carmelita. This will be Genial’s third race at Borrowdale and first attempt at the mile. The Jay Peg mare is drawn 7 and Brendon McNaughton will be in the irons. On October 16 she ran with blinkers on and pacifiers off, and is down to wear the same headgear this time.

Ride Of Honour, by Horse Chestnut, won twice in Gauteng over 1200m and this will be her third start at Borrowdale. She was 2.60 lengths behind Porterhouse over 1100m at the last meeting. Morgan Nyamagwete rides and the filly is drawn 9.

And now the dark horses – Dictate and La Carmelita. Dictate is a four-year-old by Silvano (GER). She won over 1950m at Scottsville on June 22 and her last start was at Greyville on July 13. Drawn 1, Dictate will have Kevin Derere in the irons.

La Carmelita, also a four-year-old, is by Ideal World (USA). Has had five starts and left the maidens after winning at Greyville over 1400m in April. Her last start was on October 16 at Scottsville – so a very recent arrival. Drawn 5 and Hennie Greyling (plus 1 kg) rides.

Gokhan Terzi is taking on the Stidolph string with Sable Flyers winner, Invincible Swan, Carla The Rebel, Ladies First and Scarlett Ice.

Invincible Swan has more to do here and after the 1260m Sables Flyers win she pulled up with respiratory distress. However, the daughter of Century Stand (AUS) is going for a hat-trick here. Craig Zackey (plus 1.5 kgs) has the ride and Invincible Swan is drawn 2.

Carla The Rebel continues to fluff the start but will get it right one day. In the 1260m Sable Flyers, she lost half a length and finished two lengths behind Invincible Swan, who was receiving 8 kgs. Sunday’s runners, Ride of Honour and Genial were further back . At the weights the Rebel King mare can’t be completely discounted. She is drawn 6 and will be ridden by Chase Maujean (plus 1 kg).

Both Ladies First and Scarlett Ice return to racing after quite lengthy breaks but, if fit, could finish in the money.

Ladies First– is a four-year-old daughter of Silvano (GER) out of an Al Mufti (USA) mare. A winner of two races over 1600m and 1700m, so distance suited. Her last race was on May 22 when she finished 4.75 lengths behind Duffi’s Call at level weights in the 2000m Zimbabwe Oaks. Juan Paul van der Merwe rides and Ladies First is drawn 8.

Scarlett Ice – A five-year-old by Black Minnaloushe (USA) won her first two starts at Borrowdale over 1700m and 1800m, following up with two seconds to Maturin over 1600m. Finished second to Perfect Grace over 1800m in May and then second to Quick Glance over 1700m at the next meeting. She has not raced since June 19 when 1.85 lengths off Red Savage in a 1700m MR 70 Handicap when receiving 2 kgs. Drawn 4 Scarlett Ice will have Ryan Munger in the saddle.

This will be an interesting race but Pick 6 Punters in search of a banker or two will surely choose Print The Pounds. There may be a couple of other likely bankers in this card and ‘Pick Sixers’ will need them.

Have you looked at the first leg?

Five of the seven runners in the 1260m Maiden Plate have not raced previously. What are the powers that be thinking of?

Photograph: Scarlett Ice giving Andrew Fortune a hard time. Hope she gets up on the right side of the manger on Sunday.

Fielding only 16 Borrowdale Park runners between them, Penny Fisher and Kirk Swanson came up trumps, saddling four of Sunday’s seven winners.

The Fisher yard won the feature race, the 1800m ZNA Charity Handicap, with Lava Flow, and also sent out the second horse, Call Me Earl.  Print The Pounds, Newton Power and Eurakilon followed.

Kevin Barry, also from the Fisher stable, was an easy winner of the MR 70 Handicap,  franking his equally decisive victory at the previous meeting in a 1700m Maiden Plate.

Bred by the Spotted Pig Stud in Zimbabwe and by Horse Chestnut, Kevin Barry is one to follow.  Brendon McNaughton was in the irons.

Kirk Swanson’s runner, Haga  Haga, disappointed his supporters here, finishing third, behind Devil In Command (second).  At the 300m mark Haga Haga appeared out of it, but ran on on well in the closing stages.

The Swanson stable began on a high note, taking the first race, a 1200m Maiden Plate, with first-timer Tierce.

Keagan de Melo was on board, and also rode a second winner for this yard when Perfect Grace flew past Standpoint in the closing stages of the 1700m MR 70 Handicap. (De Melo was in the irons when Lava Flow won the feature race…thereby earning the afternoon’s riding honours.)

The second race, an 1100m MR 70 Handicap went to the Gokhan Terzi-trained Porterhouse, who beat Swanson’s runner, Thriller In Manila by half-a-length.  Bankers  Blues  and Tandava, both Terzi runners, finished third and fourth.

Hennie Greyling, riding for Terzi,  scored for the second time on Fashion World, winner of the last race, a 1200m MR 55 Handicap, with stable mate,  Eurozone,  a close second.

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Print The Pounds and Fanie Chambers…won the ZNA Charity Handicap in 2015

The Zimbabwe National Army will be out in force at Borrowdale Park on Saturday for the running of the 1800m ZNA Charity Handicap where I fancy Eurakilon’s chances – but have to warn you that the last 24 hours have been confusing – to say the least.

Four of the races folded at the Final Acceptance stage. I can imagine the frantic scrambling to re-open these races and well done to everyone concerned for managing to hold it all together.

I wasn’t feeling quite so charitable at 5 pm yesterday.Having spent hours studying weights and draws for the main race, and drawing tentative conclusions, I was disturbed (to put it mildly) to discover I had to more or less start again.

However, all’s well that ends well, and this is the final field:

APPROVAL RATING – Won the 2013 Zimbabwe Guineas over 1600m but the rest of his 11 wins have been over shorter trips. Last time out he won the 1000m ZRP Charity Borrowdale Sprint with Norbert Takawira up, carry 60 kgs, and Takawira rides again on Saturday.

By Miesque’s Approval (USA) out of an Al Mufti (USA) mare the seven-year-old gelding is a class act. However I’m not convinced this is the race for him but I have often been wrong before.

In 2014 he ran a few lengths behind Equina in the 2000m Tankard, conceding weight. He quickly followed up with a third to Equina in the 1800m OK Grand Challenge. He only concedes 0.5 kgs to Eurakilon on Saturday. With firm going it may depend on who handles that best.

In addition to Approval Rating Gokhan Goksel Terziwill also saddle Eurakilon, Newton Power and The Mutineer. Approval Rating carries 60 kgs and is drawn 5.

EURAKILON, a seven-year-old gelding by Classic Flag out of a Western Winter mare, has had 10 starts at Borrowdale. He won the 2000m Breeders Champion Cup (L) in March, beating Print The Pounds, receiving 4.5 kgs, by a length, and next time out won the 1600m Independence Trophy where Saturday’s runners Call Me Earl, Lucky Sam, Print The Pounds and Lava Flow finished behind him.

Terzi’s charge can never be left out of the mix. He contests all the big races and usually finishes in the money. Lance Pagel rides on Saturday and Eurakilon (59.5 kgs) is drawn 3.

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A Zimbabwe Racing Forum has been set up on the Africa Betting Clan site… zimracing

This is an opportunity to air views, talk about fields etc, and hopefully we will be in full swing within a few days.  Registration on the Africa Betting Clan site is simple.

The next Borrowdale Park meeting is on Saturday, October 8, and the Final Fields will be posted later in the day. The feature race is the ZNA Charity Handicap over 1800m and will bring out some of our big guns, for the first time this racing season.

Shepparton and JP van der Merwe

Gokhan Goksel Terzi and Penny Fisher Racing took all the training honours at Borrowdale Park on Sunday… Terzi getting the lion’s share with five winners. JP van der Merwe and Lance Pagel, riding for Terzi, had three and two winners respectively. Ryan Munger also rode two winners.

Three Tote favourites, Shepparton, Finlay and Kevin Barry, duly arrived and the Pick 6 was won. Tandava and Bankers Blues deadheated in the first leg which resulted in two separate Pick 6 Dividends….$171 394.80 with Tandava, and $56 986.30 with Bankers Blues. There is a $45 694.34 carryover.

The first race was won by Shepparton, the Tote favourite. Shepparton is by Fencing Master (GB) and first-timer Don’tfencemein (also by Fencing Master) finished second.

Tandava and Bankers Blues deadheated in the second race. The Tote favourite was Nimble Dancer, unplaced.

Finlay, coming back from a long rest, started favourite, and took the third race on the card with a flying finish.

Kevin Barry from the Fisher stable won the fourth. He was Tote favourite. His stable mate, King’s Wager, was well back as his saddle slipped forward badly soon after the start.

David’s Flower (Greyling), also trained by Penny Fisher, scored in the fifth race. This was a tight finish involving Wee Doch ‘n Dorris, Quick Glance and Ice Pack. Tote favourite Enough Said came fifth. Magnificent Mile was found to be lame after this race.

The fancied Carla The Rebel went down to stable mate Invincible Swan in the Sable Flyers. She was slow out of the gates, losing half a length, but well beaten by Invincible Swan. The winner was examined post race and found to have pulled her right front shoe, and to be suffering respiratory distress.

Rumbavu Park Stud bred the winner of the first race, and also bred Belle Epoque, winner of the last, from Romantic Balladeer, Haga Haga and Tail Wind. The Tote favourite, Princeton Tiger, was unplaced
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Here we go, chasing the elusive Borrowdale Park Pick 6, and once again Sunday’s fields are competitive. Hold your fire, if possible, in the early stages. I fear you will need plenty of ammunition for the fourth and sixth legs in particular.

Racing starts at 13 15 with an 1100m Maiden Plate where Megagram and Fierce Prestige look the pick. Shepparton may be worth following and Apprentice Lyle Hewitson has his first ride in Harare on the unraced Coachella.

The first leg of the Pick 6 is the 1200m Merit Rated 75 Handicap where one could be reckless and bank Nimble Dancer after his close second to Approval Rating at the last meeting. Gotago should however give him a go, and the rest of the field looks dangerous. Weight counts.

Next up is the 1600m Graduation Plate where I like Red Savage and Catnip, while worrying about Avaricious and the lightly weighted Jinx Johnson. Racey J is a card scratching.

Chum and In The Oven come out in the third leg, a 1700m Maiden Plate. Both were involved in a tight finish over the distance at the last meeting but Argodaba, with claiming apprentice Marshall Bikausaru in the irons, beat them. (The finish of this race appears below courtesy of Zimbabwe Equine News. In The Oven is nearest the camera).

Bikausaru rides African Love Story for Penny Fisher on Sunday, and her two other runners, Kevin Barry with Ryan Munger up, and King’s Wager (Hennie Greyling) are worth watching.

Then we come to the Merit Rated 60 Handicap over 1800m where you must have the top weights, Quick Glance, Rawedge and Wee Doch ‘ n Dorris, plus the bottom weights, Enough Said and Valmont. It will be hard to leave out Arrowfield and David’s Flower…I have ignored Ice Pack, Star Dance, Magnificent Mile and Sky. Just watch one of them win!

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