My Secret Place teamed up with Morgen Nyamagwete and came into her own in the 2200m BSA August Two-Year-Old Sales MR 76 Handicap at Borrowdale Park on Saturday.
The daughter of Vercingetorix who raced in the colours of the Brumby Syndicate and Gengiz Goksel, finished three lengths clear of Obscure (Thackeray) who was giving the winner 8 kgs. Bred by Mr T D Andrews and trained by Amy Parham, this four-year-old filly has now won two races and been placed 15 times from 18 starts.
Stable companions Power Ranger and Red Top, at level weights, finished first and second in the 1260m BSA KZN Sale MR 69 Handicap at Borrowdale Park on Saturday.
Wes Marwing was riding the winner, Power Ranger, who is now a force to be reckoned with, and Red Top, with Morgen Nyamagwete up, also impressed. Forgotten Time (Brewer) came third.
By Silvano (GER) and out of a Captain Al mare, Power Ranger has now won four races – three of these while owned by Mesdames C E Charsley, D Herbst, A F Stead, C F von Rosen, and Mr W P Nel, in Zimbabwe. He was bred by the Maine Chance & Coolmore Partnership and is trained by Debra Swanson who added three winners to her score during the afternoon.
Buster Barnes won the 1600m BSA Cape Yearling Sales Progress Plate at Borrowdale Park on Saturday by six lengths having kept his cool during the most hectic of starts.
What with gates bursting open repeatedly, and runners breaking through, it’s a wonder the race eventually took place. Full marks to the jockeys for managing to restrain their mounts.
By Erupt (IRE), three-year-old Buster Barnes has now won three of his five starts, and once again Jeffery Syster was in the irons. The gelding is trained by Debra Swanson for the Centaur Syndicate (nominee Craig Danckwerts), and he was bred by Millstream Farm.
Aerial Display (Brewer) ran second, then came Duchess Of War (Marwing) and Walking Through Time (Nyamagwete).
Well done everyone.
Photographs by Zimbabwe Equine News.
Buster Barnes -1600m BSA National Yearling Sales Progress Plate.
…to win the 1100m BSA Hachiman Sprint at Borrowdale Park on Saturday, 27 January 2024.
Trained by Thomas Mason, and with Kaidan Brewer riding, the son of Gimmethegreenlight (AUS) gave weight to the field, held off a strong challenge from Admirals Chance when it mattered, and won by a length.
The six-year-old gelding is owned by Messrs D T Machingaidze, M K Chant, R Morgan & Mesdames A Follet -Smith, A S Chant, A G Mason, C M de Jong and S Ziehl, and was bred by Wilgersbosdrift and Mauritzfontein. This was his seventh victory.
Mason and Brewer scored earlier in the 1600m BSA Cape Yearling Sale Maiden Plate which was won by Trust Me by 8 lengths!
Trust Me ( a 3yo f) has now had four starts. She is by Mambo In Seattle (USA), is owned by Craig Danckwerts, and bred by Clifton Stud.
Only five are due to line up for the 1100m BSA Hachiman Sprint at Borrowdale Park on Saturday but it is not that easy to choose a winner.
Jubilee will be giving weight to the field – but not so much to Admirals Chance, Emerald Floe, and Tradition – all of whom will carry 58.5 kgs. Star Aglow will receive 5 kgs from Jubilee and has the outside draw for what that’s worth in a small field.
Come what may it will be interesting.
This can be said for several races on Saturday’s card. Rising stars Buster Barnes and Jacky Sparrow fluffed their lines in their last outings but could make amends on Saturday.
The first race is off at 12 45 and the Hachiman Sprint at 15 40. Entry to the course is free and hopefully the sun will be shining.
The Hachiman Sprint field:
1 3 JUBILEE 6g 60 kgs (MR87) – Brewer – T Mason. Gimmethegreenlight (AUS) – Lucy Would by Fort Wood (USA). 6 wins from 1000 to 1700m.
2 2 ADMIRALS CHANCE 4c 58.5kgs (MR84) – Syster – D Swanson. Admiral Kitten (USA) – Chancane by Captain Al. 4 wins from 1200m to 1600m.
3 1 EMERALD FLOE 6m 58.5 kgs (MR84) – Nyamagwete -B Stidolph. Oratorio (IRE) – Emerald Beauty (ARG) by Equalize (USA). 6 wins from 1100m to 1300m.
4 4 TRADITION 6g 58.5 kgs (MR84) – W Marwing – B Stidolph. Legislate – Starring Emma by Daylami (IRE). 7 wins from 1100m to 1600m.
5 5 STAR AGLOW 5m 55 kgs (MR77) – Thackeray – D Swanson. Gimmethegreenlight (AUS) – Jet Aglow by Jet Master. 5 wins from 1000m to 1450m
Members of the ZimFun Racing Club (nominee CJ Smith) came out in force at Borrowdale Park on Sunday to watch their new acquisition, Var Aglow, win the 1200m Classified Stakes by 1.25 lengths.
He was followed by Red Top (Nyamagwete), Regulate (Klink) and Kallipos (Penny).
Now trained by Debra Swanson, and with Jeffery Syster in the irons, Var Aglow has now won 4 races. He was previously trained by Gokhan Terzi, had not raced for 550 days, and was bred by Vanessa Harrison.
Congratulations everyone.
If you would like to join in the fun ZimFun would like to hear from you.
Brianna won the 1450m Zimbabwe Challenge for trainer Gavin Macleod, and his daughter, Robyn Macleod, at Borrowdale Park on Sunday.
Once again Morgen Nyamagwete was in the irons and the consistent six-year-old mare, by Legislate, is now a 9-time winner. Winning margins were 1 length, 0.25 length and 1.50 lengths and placings went to Tradition, Wantage and Jet Mirage.
Congratulations to the Macleods, and to Collins Stud Farm, the winning breeders.
1200m Borrowdale Sprint 5 November 2023. Jet Mirage (58.5) then Jubilee (56.5) and Brianna (60kgs).
Racing is not really about the money – it’s a mind game – but serious punters won’t agree with that sweeping statement.
So, this is directed at those who race for fun. I will share how I assess a race most of the time – which will horrify some people.
It’s best to start with a cursory glance at the Weights & Draws when some horses will grab your attention, but at this stage leave it at that – maybe just brood a bit when you have nothing better to do. The horses you initially fancy may not race, bearing in mind dual nominations and so forth.
This is what happened with the Borrowdale Park main race this Sunday, the 1450m Zimbabwe Challenge. Five runners caught my eye, but when the Final Field was published only two of those – Jet Mirage and Brianna – had stood their ground. The next step was to check out the form of all the runners, but I still fancied Jet Mirage and Brianna, with the former maybe having the edge.
The 1450m trip is a tricky one – mid-way between a sprint and a mile – and most of Jet Mirage’s wins have been over 1200m, but he finished a close second to Holy Land in the 1600m Sunshine Cup in October. He has also finished in front of Brianna in his last two starts.
However, Brianna is a proven sprinter, and her last start was in the 1600m Champion Fillies Stakes where she beat Zavannahgold (who was receiving 10 kgs) by a length.
Back to the drawing board and a closer look at Jet Mirage’s last two starts.
On the 5th of November Debra Swanson’s charge, with Syster up, won the 1200m Borrowdale Sprint, and Brianna (Nyamagwete) ran third, two lengths off Jet Mirage who was receiving 1.5 kgs.
Brianna, trained by Gavin Macleod, finished three parts of a length off Jet Mirage in the 1200m Gold Cup Sprint (Gr3) on the 2nd of December and that day the winner received 3.5 kgs from Brianna.
When Jet Mirage and Brianna meet up on Sunday Jet Mirage, for the first time, will be giving Brianna 3kgs which is a significant turnaround in weights.
I haven’t mentioned the remaining two runners – Wantage and Tradition – which doesn’t mean they are without a chance. Both have weight on their side and who knows what the going will be like on Sunday. Harare’s weather, right now, is unpredictable, to put it mildly.
Fortunately, we have a few more days to get our minds around all that.
Photographs by Zimbabwe Equine News.
1200m Gold Cup (Gr3) 2 December 2023. Jet Mirage (57), then Brianna (60.5) and Jubilee (53.5).
Stidolph Racing was on the ball at Borrowdale on Sunday – winning the second and third races on the card, and both horses with Jarryd Penny up.
Tradition (above), owned by his trainer Bridget, and bred by Newbury Racing & Breeding Ltd, was easily victorious in the 1260m MR 80 Handicap, beating the fancied Buster Barnes. By Legislate, six-year-old Tradition has now won 6 races.
Next up was Duchess Of War (below), owned by the Gin’ll Fix It Syndicate (nominee Kirsty Stidolph). The four-year-old Twice Over (GB) filly, bred by Millstream Farm, romped away with the 1800m MR 65 Handicap. Soft going not a problem. Minor places filled by My Secret Place, stable mate Bruce’s Spirit, and Follow The Band. She has now won three races for the ‘girls’.
In addition to winning the 1900m MR 75 Handicap with Nandine, Jarryd Penny also rode two winners for Bridget Stidolph at Borrowdale Park on Sunday.
Nandine, a four-year-old Pathfork (USA) filly, has now won three in a row. She is owned by the Brumby Syndicate, nominee Grant Littleford, and Gengiz Goksel. Trained by Amy Parham and bred by Oldlands Stud, Nandine finished 1.75 lengths ahead of Cutback, who was closely followed by Tigers Eagle.
Debra Swanson’s two runners, Abayyaan (Syster) and Admiral’s Chance (Marwing), were the first two home in the 1600m MR 94 Handicap at Borrowdale Park on Sunday. Winning margin 5 lengths.
Abayyaan, by Vercingetorix and bred by Mr MK Ahmed, has now won 6 races and he is owned by Messrs P D Gorringe, S P Gorringe, V Patel & D K Ward, G M Littleford, S H Murray, P C Rugg & M W Smith.
Earlier in the afternoon Jeffery Syster, riding for Debra, won the 1200m Graduation Plate on Power Ranger.
…and Sunday’s 3200m BSA Carlton Cup was abandoned when during a downpour the four runners refused to load. The Stipendiary Board Report should make interesting reading.
It was not the best of Borrowdale Park meetings, with soft conditions underfoot. This is the first day of 2024 – and I wish you all a happy new year.
Racing at Borrowdale Park in Harare - Zimbabwe 