FLASHBACK 2016/17: CHAMPION FILLIES STAKES

The Ideal World (USA) filly, La Carmelita, recorded her first win at Borrowdale Park in the 2016 Champion Fillies Stakes,when Ladies First, Betula Uber and Belle Epoque followed her across the line. The winner was trained by Bridget Stidolph and Fanie Chambers was in the irons. The 2017 Champion Fillies Stakes will be run at Borrowdale on Sunday, November 19.

FLASHBACK: 2016/17 HRIB GOLD CUP

Road To Dubai (above) won the prestigious HRIB Gold Cup for the second year in succession. In 2016 Newton Power, Sheik’s Brashee and Comanche Brave also finished in the money. Road To Dubai is trained by Swanson Racing and Keagan de Melo had the winning ride. The 2017 HRIB Gold Cup will be run on Saturday, December 2.

FLASHBACK: 2016/17 TOTE FREE HANDICAP
Former Champion two-year-old Wylde Style (above) continued on her winning ways when beating Jameson Run, Haga Haga and Devil In Command to the wire in the 2016 Tote Free Handicap run over 1600m. Wylde Style is owned and trained by Amy Bronkhorst and Evert Pheiffer had the ride in the Tote Free. This event will take place this season on HRIB day, December 2.

FLASHBACK: 2016/17 ZIMBABWE CHALLENGE
On December 18, 2016, Windigo (above) won the 1400m Zimbabwe Challenge in a close finish with Newton Power, followed by La Carmelita and Flax. The Windrush gelding is trained by Kirk Swanson and Randall Manuel Simons was riding. The 2017/18 Zimbabwe Challenge will take place on Sunday, December 17.

At present Borrowdale Park is closed for its annual racing break.  The first race meeting of the 2017/18 racing season will take place on Saturday, September 9.

FLASHBACK: 2016/17 AFZ CHARITY SPRINT
The first feature race of the 2016/17 Borrowdale Park racing season was won by Approval Rating, trained by Gokhan Terzi with Norbert Takawira in the irons. The AFZ Charity Sprint was run over 1000m and Nimble Dancer, Sheik’s Brashee and Newton Power filled the minor placings. AFZ day is scheduled for Saturday, 9 September, this year.

FLASHBACK: 2016/17 SABLE FLYERS (L)
In September 2016 the Sable Flyers (L) was run over 1260m and won by the Gokhan Terzi trained Invincible Swan. Juanpaul van der Merwe rode the winning filly and the places went to Carla The Rebel, Uptown Gal and Beretta. On September 24, 2017, this race will be run over 1450m at Borrowdale Park.

FLASHBACK: 1800M ZNA CHARITY HANDICAP
On October 8 2016 the feature race honours went to Lava Flow, trained by Penny Fisher Racing with Keagan de Melo aboard. Call Me Earl, Print The Pounds and Newton Power also finished in the money. The 2017 ZNA Charity Handicap will take place at Borrowdale on Saturday, October 7.

FLASHBACK: 2016/17 JACARANDA FREE HANDICAP
Locally bred Kevin Barry completed a hat-trick when winning the 1200m Jacaranda Free, a handicap for all three-year-olds, in November 2016. He is trained by Penny Fisher Racing and Ryan Munger had the ride. Minor places went to Wylde Style, Shepparton and Esprit de Corps. This year the Jacaranda Free takes place at Borrowdale Park on Guy Fawkes Day, Sunday November 5.

CHAMPION ZIMBABWE TRAINER 1ST AUGUST 2016 – 22 JULY 2017

Congratulations to Bridget Stidolph who finished the 2016/17 season as Zimbabwe’s Champion Trainer. This award is based on stakes won and the Stidolph yard earned $330 668 in stakes (53 individual runners, win % 13, place % 51).

All the Zimbabwe trainers deserve credit for pulling their weight in what has been a difficult year. The owners and the MTC deserve a pat on the back also.

Kirk Swanson was runner-up with $ 312 552 (39 individual runners, win % 16, place % 60), followed by Penny Fisher $175 907 (23 individual runners, win % 16, place % 47), then Amy Bronkhorst $166 404 (17 individual runners, win % 10, place % 49).

The honours in the Jockey Championship went to Fanie Chambers, regular jockey for the Stidolph yard. Apprentice Calvin Habib, who also rides for Bridget Stidolph, is Champion Apprentice.

All the racing awards will be presented at a function in September, and will include the Spey Bridge Awards which, hopefully, until then, will remain shrouded in mystery.

Recently Porterhouse has shown signs of a return to form and he pounced in the 1260m MR 65 Handicap at Borrowdale Park on Saturday, providing Bridget Stidolph and Fanie Chambers with the first of their two winners.

Owned by John Koumides and bred by Bosworth Farm Stud, the six-year-old Miesque’s Approval (USA) gelding has now won five races and been placed 17 times.

On Saturday, Amas Amat, Just A Jag and Temple Run finished behind him – winning margins, 0.50, 0.60 and 0.85 lengths.

They may be few and far between these days but Zimbabwe bred runners are holding their own at Borrowdale Park.  On Saturday three of the eight winners were locally bred, including Edward The Seventh (above), Delta and Wylde Style.

The two-year-old Seventh Rock (AUS) gelding, Edward The Seventh, won the 1200m Maiden Plate, his first start, finishing five lengths clear of stablemate, Switchblade.  He was bred at Rambavu Park Stud and is owned by Christopher Peech.  Sherman Brown was in the irons.

Delta (below) is owned and bred by Black Diamond Thoroughbreds (nominee Brian Makwabarara).  Apprentice Mpumelelo Mjoka had the ride in the 1700m Maiden Plate.

Both horses are trained by Kirk Swanson. Congratulations to the winning connections.

Swanson Racing ended the 2016/17 racing season on a high note with four winners at Borrowdale Park during Saturday afternoon. 

The fourth winner, Light The Way, came in the 1600m Pinnacle Plate (80), last race of the day, and the son of  Miesque’s Approval (USA) finished half a length ahead of David’s Flower, Roman Discent and Lava Flow. Apprentice Mpumelelo Mjoka was in the irons and Light The Way is owned by Colin Bird.  This was the five-year-old gelding’s second start at Borrowdale.  He has now won five races.

This isn’t the best photograph – fading light and all that – but most of the Swanson team was in the parade ring to welcome their winner.

The Swanson stable is having an Open Day on Saturday, July 29, to celebrate racing and things to come.  Have fun!

Wylde Style, bred in Zimbabwe by Peter Moor and owned and trained by Amy Bronkhorst, won the 1600m ZRP Fillies Charity Stakes at Borrowdale Park on Saturday.

Sherman Brown had the winning ride and piloted Wylde Style across the line, ahead of Placid Sea, Betula Uber and Simona.  Champion Two-year-old in 2015/16, Wylde Style has now won 8 of her 17 starts and been placed 7 times.  She is by West Man (USA) out ofSoul Seek (ZIM).

Congratulations Amy, Peter and Sherman.

The seven-year-old Battersea Park gelding, Ashton Park, trained by Penny Fisher, achieved his ninth career victory in the 1450m Breeders Sprint at Borrowdale Park on Saturday.  Life Is Good was 1.25 lengths behind him, followed by Super Good and Road To Dubai.

Ryan Munger was in the irons and Ashton Park is owned by Mrs S.H. Mackenzie and Messrs P. Bamford, F.C. Blomkamp, A.J. Brand, P. F. MdoCarmo, G. Goksel, M.A. Govender, M.G. Schoeman and Wehasnn Smith, and the ZonkeEnaMushe Syndicate (nominee Mrs N.J. Fisher). Well done!

Ashton Park was bred by Mr Y. Khan.

Flanders, trained by Bridget Stidolph, won the 1450m Champagne Stakes at Borrowdale Park on Saturday, finishing 0.05 lengths in front of stable companion Butchie Boy. 

The Gimmethegreenlight (AUS) juvenile has now won all his four starts in Zimbabwe, and his victory probably ensured Bridget would end the season as Zimbabwe’s Champion Trainer.

Flanders is owned by Newbury Racing (Pty) Ltd, and regular jockey, Fanie Chambers was in the irons.  Congratulations to all the winning connections.

The field for the 1600m ZRP Fillies Charity Stakes at Borrowdale Park on Saturday is evenly split between three and four-year-olds and, on this occasion, two of the three-year-olds may have the edge.  At least the handicapper thinks so.

Wylde Style (MR 84) and Crystalline (MR 70) have the highest ratings in this field of eight, and admittedly this pair were the first to catch my eye…before I began to wonder how one could possibly compare  Wylde Style, former champion two-year-old and seven-time winner,  with one-time winner Crystalline.

However, having looked at the form for a couple of hours, I am doing exactly that.

Crystalline has had six starts at Borrowdale Park and always finished in the money. She won a 2000m Maiden Plate in April, beating Whatsnewpussycat, and ran second to Solinski in both the 1800m TBA Silver Slipper and the Zimbabwe Oaks. On OK Grand Challenge day the daughter of Biarritz finished a close third behind Kevin Barry and David’s Flower over 1600m. Her last start was in a 1600m Novice Plate, won by Saturday’s runner and stable mate, Simona.  This time Crystalline has a 2 kgs turnaround in weight with Simona, for a 2.50 lengths beating, which should bring her closer. In fact Bridget Stidolph has a strong hand with her runners, Crystalline, Placid Sea and Simona, but they all have to beat Wylde Style.

Amy  Bronkhorst’s  Wylde Style probably prefers a shorter trip but won both the 1600m Tote Free Handicap and the 1600m Fillies Classic. More recently she finished second to Flasher On The Run in the Zimbabwe Guineas, and third to Solinski in the Zimbabwe Oaks, prior to some tough campaigning in the Castle Tankard and the OK Grand Challenge.

Wylde Style, Ladies First and Penny Fisher’s charge, Betula Uber will all carry 60 kgs to Crystalline’s 54 kgs on Saturday, which is why I have given so much thought to this relative newcomer.

That said I am still far from convinced Crystalline will beat Wylde Style. Whatever you do include both these fillies in your Quartet…along with Betula Uber, Placid Sea, Simona and Ladies First.

Photograph by Gavin Macleod: The Gimmethegreenlight filly, Simona, stable mate of Crystalline, might be the cat among the pigeons.  Seen here with Apprentice Calvin Habib. Jarryd Penny rides on Saturday.

Saturday’s ZRP race day brings Borrowdale Park’s 2016/17 racing season to a close and the 8-race card includes the 1450m ZRP Depot Province Breeders Sprint, the ZRP Fillies Charity Stakes over 1600m, and the 1450m Thoroughbred Breeders Champagne Stakes. The first race is due off at 12.20 pm.

There is no doubt in my mind that as far as class and general interest goes, the Breeders Sprint, seventh leg of the Sprinters Series, for all horses at WFA, will take the biscuit. Ten horses have stood their ground and with the exception of the two three-year-olds, Coachella and Life Is Good, who carry 59 kgs, the remaining runners are all on 60 kgs.

It remains to be seen if the three-year-olds can win when only receiving 1 kg from the likes of Newton Power, Road To Dubai, Comanche Brave and Super Good. To add to this conundrum, Windigo, will be receiving weight all round if Apprentice Mjoka climbs aboard, as anticipated, and claims 2.5 kgs.

Although Ashton Park, El Gallo and Call Me Earl have not yet been mentioned they cannot be discounted.

There are no rabbits in this line-up, and it is going to be a great race.

Photograph Gavin Macleod: 1200m MR 100 Handicap on Castle Tankard day, won by Newton Power (52kgs) then El Gallo (52 kgs), Road To Dubai (60 kgs) and Super Good (55.5 kgs). Winning margins 0.10, 2.10, 4.6 lengths. This quartet meets again on Saturday over 1450m. The distance should not be an issue but there is a huge turnaround in weights for the Breeders Sprint.

The Geoff Armitage bred Night Of Speed, relishing more ground, won the 1600m Maiden Juvenile Plate at Borrowdale Park on Saturday. The Antonius Pius (USA) colt, having his second start, finished ahead of Knuckleball and Misterioso in a tight finish.

Owned by Colin Bird and trained by Kirk Swanson, Night Of Speed was piloted by Sherman Brown. Congratulations all round.