SIMONA, by Gimmethegreenlight (AUS) out of a Western Winter (USA) mare, won the 1800m Champion Fillies Stakes at Borrowdale Park on Sunday. Belle Epoque ran second, then Placid Sea and Ladies First –  winning margin 1.25 lengths.

Jarryd Penny rode the winner for Bridget Stidolph and the four-year-old filly is owned by the Newbury Racing Syndicate, nominee Mr D.E. Evans.  Simona was bred by Nadeson Park and has now won four races.

Congratulations to the winning connections.

Solinski, seen here with Karl Zechner up, after her Zimbabwe Oaks win.

The main event at Borrowdale Park on Sunday, November 19, is the 1800m Champion Fillies Stakes, and joint Horse Of The Year, Solinski, is not nominated.

One of her owners, Jackie Cocksedge, has confirmed that the four-year-old filly has damaged a pedal bone… “she will be back, but not yet.”

The horse comes first so while wishing Solinski a speedy recovery it is good to know she will be given all the time she needs before returning to racing.

It is also good that the owners have been upfront about this problem.  All too often, in Zimbabwe, there is a total lack of transparency. This is racing, everything doesn’t always go according to plan, and supporters need to know about it.

Edward The Seventh completed a double when winning the 1200m Novice Plate on Sunday, finishing 2.50 lengths clear of his stables mates Switchblade and Designer Pot. 

The Seventh Rock (AUS) three-year-old, bred in Zimbabwe by Rumbavu Park Stud, and owned by Christopher Peech, has now won both his starts. Francois Herholdt was riding for Kirk Swanson.

According to the statistics in the most recent  Borrowdale Park race card, Rumbavu Park tops the Breeders log, and Mr C.P.M. Peech heads the list of leading owners.  What an achievement  for a Zimbabwe based stud when our breeding industry is more or less moribund.  So sad but…Well done Noelene and Christopher.

The Kirk Swanson stable were off to a good start at Borrowdale Park on Sunday, saddling the winners of the first two races.

First off the mark was What A Dandy, by Just As Well (USA), who held on to beat Canadian Champion and Epee to the wire in the 1000m Maiden Plate. Fransie Herholdt was riding the three-year-old gelding bred by Barton Hall Stud.

What A Dandy races in the familiar brown, white and green silks owned by John Koumides.

Congratulations to the connections.

Red Savage, with Brendon McNaughton riding for Penny Fisher, was a convincing winner of the 1800m MR 50 Handicap at Borowdale Park – and the second winner on Sunday for the Fisher yard.

By Jay Peg, the six-year-old gelding is owned by Julie Zieve, Ken Fisher and John Koumides. He was bred by Tawny Syndicate. His slightly more fancied stable mate, Finlay, was 1.50 lengths back, then came It’s A True Story (28/10) and Goose Green.

Congratulations everyone.

Betula Uber, a daughter of Ideal World (USA), carried 58.5 kgs in Sunday’s 2200m MR 65 Handicap, and made every post a winning one.

Philanthropy finished 3.50 lengths behind her, followed across the line by Ladies First and Baumgartner.

The five-year-old mare, bred by Mauritzfontein Stud, is owned by Gengiz Goksel and trained by Penny Fisher. Ryan Munger was aboard for Betula Uber’s fourth victory.

Congratulations to all concerned.

Domenico Angelo retained the upper hand in the 1700m Maiden Plate on Sunday, in a close finish involving Atlantic Bijoux and Business Jet. 

The son of Golden Sword (GB) was having his second start in Harare, and Randall Simons was riding for Amy Bronkhorst. The four-year-old gelding was bred by Summerveld Stud. He is owned by Gengis Goksel, Grant Littleford, Spencer Murray and Paul Rugg who were on course to shout their horse home.

Well done everyone.

Coachella, by Alado (GB), was the first of two winners sent out by the Stidolph yard at Borrowdale Park on Sunday. The four-year-old gelding’s regular jockey, Fanie Chambers, was in the irons.

Owned by John Koumides and bred by Professor I.M. Sanne, Coachella won the 1100m MR 95 Handicap by a comfortable 2.50 lengths, with Life Is Good, Wylde Style and Sheik’s Brashee in the minor places.

This was Coachella’s fifth win from 12 starts. He has been placed five times.

Congratulations to the winning connections.

Bridget Stidolph saddled the first two horses past the post in Sunday’s 1200m ZNA Charity Jacaranda Free Handicap at Borrowdale Park.

Butchie Boy, finished a length in front of his stable companion, Flanders, who was giving the winner 3 kgs. The Crusade (USA) gelding has now won twice and been placed five times in 7 starts. He is owned by Sunmark Racing Syndicate (Nominee Mr R.E. Davenport) and was bred by Mr R. Fitzgerald.

Brendon McNaughton was in the irons.

Third place went to Sail From Sibaya, while Nedo Nadi disappointed his supporters this time around, finishing four lengths behind Butchie Boy.

Congratulations to the winning connections.

Wylde Style with Evert Pheiffer in the irons.  The versatile filly will be ridden by Kevin Derere on Sunday.

The 1200m HRIB Gold Cup – crème de la crème of Zimbabwe’s sprints – is set for December 2. Most connections of runners in Sunday’s 1100m MR 95 Handicap will have this on their minds.

This classy field includes Comanche Brave (joint 2016/17 Horse Of The Year and Champion Older Horse); Champion Sprinter Road To Dubai; Sheik’s Brashee, never to be left out over 1100m; rising star Super Good, and versatile Wylde Style going for a ninth victory. Although I have not mentioned Coachella, Cabinda, El Gallo and Life Is Good, this is mainly because it gets so complicated. All except Life Is Good have fairly recent sprint form.

If I were to restrict a quartet to five horses I would box Sheik’s Brashee, Road To Dubai, Coachella, Super Good and Wylde Style.

This could be horribly wrong because as I keep saying – ad nauseam – weight counts.

Racing begins on Sunday at 12.25 pm. This mad dash to the wire is due off at 15.15.

The daughter of Ideal World (USA), Betula Uber, seen here  winning the 2016 Breeders Fillies Mile with Wes Marwing in the irons.  Ryan Munger will be riding on Sunday.

The stayers come out in force at Borrowdale Park on Sunday for the MR 65 Handicap over 2200m.  Most of the seven runners have claims to fame beyond 2000m but the four-year-olds, Flasher On The Run (60kgs) and Crystalline (57.5 kgs), have yet to prove they can match it with older horses such as Rawedge (58.5 kgs), Betula Uber (58,5 kgs) and Baumgartner (55.5 kgs).

Philanthropy, also four, has yet to race further than 1800m so, with 55 kgs and Fanie Chambers aboard, is probably the dark horse in this line-up. Although Ladies First (59 kgs)  has not won beyond 1800m, this Silvano (GER) mare has featured in races up to the Derby distance.

This will be Rawedge’s first outing since June 25.   We all know this five-year-old Ravishing gelding loves to stay all day and, if racing fit, I will be surprised if either of his stablemates, Flasher On The Run and Baumgartner  – or anyone else for that matter – can beat him.

Betula Uber is bred to stay and, as a three-year-old, ran second to Duffi’s Call in the 2000m Zimbabwe Oaks, and second to Mathematician (four lengths back) in the 2400m Zimbabwe Derby.

Both Flasher On The Run and Crystalline were prominent in the 2016/17 Classics….The Flasher ran second behind Solinski in the Bloodstock South Africa 2000, and third to Solinski in the Derby. Crystalline shed her maiden certificate over 1800m, ran second to Solinski in the Oaks, and fourth to the daughter of Fencing Master (GB) in the Derby.

This race is due off at 13.35 pm on Sunday,  Don’t miss it.