Solartrip, by Querari (GER), won the 1600m Bohlingers Maiden Plate for owner Kirsty Stidolph and trainer Bridget Stidolph at Borrowdale Park on Castle Tankard Day.

Diego de Gouveia was riding the three-year-old gelding bred by Lammerskraal Stud, and well done, everyone.

At the next Borrowdale Park meeting on Sunday, the 25th of May, Bridget has entered Burn Bright in the 1600m Fillies Classic. By Fire Away (USA), Burn Bright won over 2000m at Fairview and a 1600m Novice Plate at Borrowdale, so another one to watch.

Will be holding thumbs.

Zimbabwe Equine News supplied the photograph of Solartrip.

The Crusade (USA) mare, When Evening Comes, bred by Kevin Fallon’s Spotted Pig Stud, has now won four after taking the 1700m Chibuku MR75 Handicap at the last Borrowdale Park meeting.

Jarryd Penny was riding for Thomas Mason, and Copper Fire (Patel) was only half a length behind.

When Evening Comes is owned by Messrs C Adamson, K P Fallon & Mrs I A Fallon.

Congratulations!

Photograph by Zimbabwe Equine News.

Debbie Swanson saddled two winners on Castle Tankard Day: Last One Standing and Bello Grosso, both ridden by Deryl Daniels.

Last One Standing (above) is owned by Duncan and Jackie Cocksedge and won the 1600m Zambezi Novice Plate by an impressive five lengths. The four-year-old Twice Over (GB) gelding was having his first start at Borrowdale Park and was bred by Beaumont Stud.

Congratulations to the winning connections.

Bello Grosso (below) has now won five races, the latest being the 1450m Carling Black Label Allowance Plate. This was a tight finish involving Prince Of Denmark (Katjedi).  

By Erupt (IRE) and bred by Piemonte Stud, the five-year-old winner is owned by the Don’t Horse Around Syndicate ( Nom: Mr M Moxon).

Well done, everyone.

Photographs by Zimbabwe Equine News.

Thank you, Jenny Stock of Zimbabwe Equine News for these special photographs taken in the Borrowdale Park parade ring on Saturday the 10th of May, 2025, when Action Zone starred in the Castle Tankard Show.

Five-year-old Action Zone won the $50,000 Castle Tankard (GR1) at Borrowdale Park on Saturday, the 10th of May 2025, beating Jaeger Moon by three parts of a length, and then came Master Tik Tok and My Secret Place.

There were doubts about how the son of Canford Cliffs (IRE) would handle 2000m, but Thomas Mason’s charge held on like the champion he is. Bred by Daytona Stud, Action Zone (Mathew Thackeray) has won 10 races but was at his best up to 1700m – prior to Saturday.

Jaeger Moon (Daniels), who was conceding 4 kgs to the victor, also gave his all, and once again, the Castle Tankard lived up to expectations.

Craig Danckwerts, an ardent and popular supporter of Zimbabwe racing, owns Action Zone, so it was good to see him celebrate this worthwhile winner.   It was also pleasing, and a bit of a surprise, to see Nico Kritsiotis, back at Borrowdale, and commentating.

Tom Mason has been training for six years but served his time as an assistant trainer before that.  This was his second Tankard runner – and second Tankard winner – having previously won with True Beauty in 2022. Quite an achievement!

Congratulations to the winning connections and well done, everyone, who helped make this a memorable afternoon.

There has been an unavoidable runaround regarding photographs, but I am sure this will be sorted, given time. These things happen  – best laid plans don’t always work.

The scene is set for the 2025 Castle Tankard (GR1) at Borrowdale Park this Saturday, the 10^th of May.

Sixteen runners have accepted and all have jockeys, other than Admiral’s Chance.

Ideal View won this race in 2023 carrying 52 kgs; he ran 5th to Raffles in 2024 with 59 kgs on his back and he will be hoping for a repeat victory this year, carrying 54 kgs. He should have a very good chance.

The Tankard is over 2000m and weight counts, so I have been brooding since the Final Field was declared.  Most would agree the most fancied runners are Jet Mirage (60 kgs), Jaeger Moon (58.5), Abayyaan (57), Action Zone (54.5) and Ideal View (54).  However, can they give weight and a beating to the rest of the field, all carrying 52 kgs?

If I were able to do a Quartet – and unfortunately, I cannot as the Tote has not been operating at Borrowdale Park for years – I would bank on Ideal View and Jaeger Moon to run in the first four, with as many of the others as I could afford. And make no error, these “lightweights” are not slouches.

That said, racing wouldn’t be racing if it were a foregone conclusion. There is no entry fee to the course on Saturday, and the first race is off at 12:00. It will be a wonderful afternoon, and many thanks to Delta for their continued support of racing at Borrowdale Park.

Photograph by Zimbabwe Equine News: Can Ideal View do it again? Jeffery Syster rides this time. Nathan Klink was in the irons when Ideal View won the 2023 Tankard.

BREAKING NEWS: See Card Changes published 8 May 2025. Admiral’s Chance will be ridden by J. Penny and Cosmic Event has been scratched on a veterinary certificate.

Sixteen runners have stood their ground for the 2025 Castle Tankard (Grr1), which will take place on Saturday, the 10^th of May.

RIVER Power won the Zimbabwe Derby (GR3) at Borrowdale Park on Friday, the 25^th of April, as expected, but by an astonishing seven lengths ahead of She’s Everything.

This victory made the son of Global View (USA), out of Shirley Valentine by Ideal World (USA), the winner of Zimbabwe’s 2025 Triple Crown. The three-year-old colt was bred by  Riethuiskraal Stud and trained by Debra Swanson. Deryl Daniels, who also partnered River Power in both the Zimbabwe Guineas and the Zimbabwe 2000, was in the irons.

The Centaur Syndicate (nominee Craig Danckwerts) has been around for many years and won many prestigious events.  On Friday, Centaur members were out in force and delighted that River Power, their latest favourite son, had won.  

Congratulations to all the winning connections on another significant achievement.

Photographs by Zimbabwe Equine News.

The 2400m Zimbabwe Derby (Gr3) is the feature at Borrowdale Park on Friday the 25th of April. This is the third leg of Zimbabwe’s 2025 Triple Crown, and River Power has so far won both the Zimbabwe Guineas and the Zimbabwe 2000.

Can he crack the biggest, best and most gruelling leg of all?

The filly She’s Everything (a close second in the Zimbabwe 2000) may be the main danger, and Magic Exists and Solartrip have also accepted the challenge. The Derby is due off at 15:55

The first race on Friday is at 13:00.

River Power won the Zimbabwe 2000 (Gr3) at Borrowdale Park on Sunday the 6th of April and he now has two legs of Zimbabwe’s Triple Crown to his credit having already won the Zimbabwe Guineas (Gr3).

The winner was trained by Debra Swanson and bred by Riethuiskraal Stud. Craig Danckwerts is the Centaur Syndicate’s nominee and Deryl Daniels was riding again. River Power, by Global View (USA), has now won five of his six starts. Next up, hopefully, will be the 2400m Zimbabwe Derby – the race everyone wants to win.

On Sunday a recent arrival at Borrowdale, She’s Everything (Mxoli), was only half a length behind River Power.  The Erupt (IRE) filly is out of a Right Approach (GB) mare and in January she won a 2000m Maiden Plate at the Vaal.

Congratulations everyone.

Photographs: Zimbabwe Equine News.

Ideal View (Daniels) won the 1600m 2025 Independence Trophy at Borrowdale Park on Sunday the 6th of April.

By Global View (USA) and out of an Ideal World (USA) mare the six-year-old gelding is trained by Debra Swanson and owned by Messrs C J Smith , P D Gorringe , S P Gorringe, V Patel, D K Ward & M W Smith. He was bred by Riyo Stud and has now won 9 races.

My Secret Place finished two lengths back with Jet Mirage a whisker behind him.

Congratulations to all the winning connections.

Photograph by Zimbabwe Equine News.

This Sunday, the 6^th of April 2025, the Independence Trophy will be run over 1600m at Borrowdale Park, but do you remember who won this feature race in 2015?

An excerpt from that racing review appears below:

“The main race of the day was the US$12 600 Independence Trophy over 1600m.  Most dogs were barking for Terzi’s charge, Glorious Jet, but down at the start the Jet Master gelding dumped Apprentice Wesley Marwing, slipped his bridle and bolted back to the 2800m mark.  Although Glorious Jet then made his way back, he managed to find the gap in the railings and went skipping through the trees before being caught.

“Before this, both Alula Borealis and Two Gun Kid had been withdrawn by the Course Veterinary Surgeon for not striding out.  Glorious Jet was also scratched for “blowing excessively”.

“The reduced field finally got away to a fair break with Bridget Stidolph’s remaining three runners coming to the fore.  Lucky Sam (Simons), having his second outing as a four-year-old, won with authority, heading stable mates Killa Man and Menacing by 1.00 and 1.25 lengths respectively.  Equina, victorious in the 2014 Castle Tankard (GR 1) and OK Grand Challenge (GR2), finished fourth.”

Last year Brianna (Brewer), shown below, won the Independence Trophy and her trainer Gavin Macleod fields Raining Again this year. Let’s hope there’s not quite so much drama on Sunday. The feature is the last race on the card and is due off at 15:20.