Bridget Stidolph saddled four winners at Borrowdale Park on Sunday – the first being Aqaba in the 1000m MR 60 Handicap.
Aqaba is a five-year-old gelding by Mogok (USA), owned by Newbury Racing and bred by Scott Bros.
Apprentice Calvin Habib was in the irons, and later in the afternoon he clocked up a second win for the Stidolph yard, and Newbury Racing, on Cabinda in the 1100m MR 72 Handicap.
Congratulations to the winning connections.
RACE MEETING: Sunday 02 April 2017
TRACK CONDITION: Good PENETROMETER READING: 21
WEATHER FORECAST FOR SUNDAY AFTERNOON: 02/04/2017@ 8h50 BBC weather
Wind Speed: 7mph Wind Direction: SE Humidity: 48% Visibility: Very Good
WEEK’S RAINFALL: Nil IRRIGATION: 12mm WEATHER: Sunny
RAINFALL 24hrs: Nil
FALSE RAIL : 7 metres from the 1800m mark to the spillway
SPILLWAY : 7 metres
DATE AND TIME OF ISSUE: Sunday 02 April 2017 @ 09h00
ADDITIONAL CHANGES
Race No Horse No Name of Horse Changes
1 3 Bumi Sunrise is a gelding
1 6 Arial Now to race with blinkers off
4 3 David’s Flower Now to race in steels
5 1 Jay P Now to race in steels
6 4 Danger Dan is a gelding
7 4 Porterhouse Now to race with blinkers on
7 7 Nimble Dancer Now to race with blinkers off
JOCKEY CHANGES
Please be advised that Randall Simons is unable to fulfil his riding engagements at Borrowdale Park
Race No Horse No Name of Horse To Be Ridden by:
1 6 Arial Jockey Brendon McNaughton
2 2 Princeston Tiger Jockey Hennie Greyling
3 8 Ladies First Jockey Nkululeko Sibanda
4 2 Noble Peer Jockey Fanie Chambers
6 5 Esprit De Corps Jockey Hennie Greyling
From the official MTC race card
RACE 1: (4) Maid In The Moon, (1) Switchblade, (5) Rebellious Queen, (6) Ariel.
RACE 2: (1) Supa Wonder, (4) Romantic Balladeer, (5) Aqaba, (8) Tail Wind.
RACE 3: (4) Stirling Road, (1) Ice Pack, (6) Placid Sea, (5) Al Salaam.
RACE 4: (1) Cool Solution, (5) Barbarian, (3) David’s Flower, (6) Quick Glance.
RACE 5: (3) Crystalline, (2) Master Stroke, (4) Delta, (5) Whatsnewpussycat.
RACE 6: (1) Flasher On The Run, (6) Solinski, (4) Danger Dan, (2) Haga Haga.
Race 7: (1) Coachella, (8) Cabinda, (3) Tamarind, (6) Thriller In Manilla.
The second leg of Zimbabwe’s Triple Crown, the Bloodstock South Africa 2000 (Gr3), takes place at Borrowdale Park on Sunday afternoon. Only Guineas winner Flasher On The Run is in line for the “Crown” – providing he proves as efficient over 2000m as he has proved to be over 1600m.
Distance queries hang over most, if not all, of the runners in Sunday’s race. Silver Slipper winner, Solinski, the only filly carded for the Bloodstock 2000, has won over 1800m. The Flasher left the maiden ranks over 1700m, and so did Danger Dan. Megagram won an 1800m Maiden Plate in December.
Both the Guineas and the Silver Slipper were raced in heavy going and the chances are conditions will be firmer this time – which will help.
Thanks to the devastation of our local breeding industry, and the fact that most owners now look for a quick return when they shop, horses that stay are in short supply. The three Triple Crown races are run over 1600m, 2000m and 2400m, within a set time limit.
This suits the Classic purists among us, but filling fields is becoming problematic. Preparing three-year-olds for the Classics is also difficult in Zimbabwe due to the limitations of our restricted racing programme.
Kirk Swanson seems to have a strong hand with his trio, but only time will tell…
FLASHER ON THE RUN. Drawn 5. Sherman Brown. Kirk Swanson. 6 starts 2 wins 4 places. By Bold Silvano out of a National Assembly (CAN) mare. Zimbabwe Guineas winner last time out. Won 1700m Maiden Plate on February 5, beating subsequent winner Don’tfencemein by 4.25 lengths in heavy going. Has finished in front of Megagram.
HAGA HAGA. Drawn 1. R. Munger. Kirk Swanson. 10 starts 2 wins 6 places. By Mullins Bay (GB) out of Brashee (GB) mare. Third to Wylde Style in the 1600m Tote Free Handicap, receiving weight, and won his last outing over 1600m. Has improved over more ground. Third in the Guineas behind Flasher On The Run and Wilde Style. 5.50 lengths behind the winner.
MEGAGRAM. Drawn 2. Brendon McNaughton. Bridget Stidolph. 10 starts 1 win 7 places. By Tamburlaine (IRE) out of a Sobieski (USA) mare. Won 1800m Maiden Plate on December 18, beating In The Oven, Danger Dan and Aloft. Second to Haga Haga over 1600m on February 5. Finshed fourth in the Guineas, 6.75 lengths off the winner.
DANGER DAN. Drawn 6. Fanie Chambers. Bridget Stidolph. 8 starts 1 win 5 places. By Dan De Lago (AUS) out of a Marauding (NZ) mare. Plenty of experience around the bend and won his last start over 1700m, beating Supalumina by two lengths. Finished 1.25 lengths behind Megagram in a 1800m Maiden Plate on December 18.
ESPRIT DE CORPS. Drawn 4. Randall Simons. Amy Bronkhorst. 6 starts 1 win 2 places. By Mambo In Seattle (USA) out of an Elusive Quality (USA) mare. Won his first start on July 31, narrowly beating Megagram, with Danger Dan further back. In two subsequent starts over the same distance Esprit de Corps finished fourth to Kevin Barry. Next raced twice around the turn ( 1600m and 1700m) where he did not distinguish himself, and on March 12 finished well back over 1260m in a MR 50 Handicap won by Temple Run. No doubt this was a prep run. Hard to assess.
SOLINSKI. Drawn 3. Callan Murray. Kirk Swanson. 4 starts 2 wins 2 places, By Fencing Master (GB) out of a Sobieski (USA) mare.This will be Solinski’s fifth start and she won the 1800m TBA Silver Slipper at the last meeting. Prior to that she finished within 0.75 lengths of Wylde Style in the 1600m Fillies Classic. The daughter of Fencing Master (GB) has also won over 1200m, beating King’s Wager and The Catcher.
Photograph: Flasher On The Run and Sherman Brown triumphed in the Zimbabwe Guineas. Sherman rides again on Sunday.
The closest finish on Sunday came in the fourth race when the Stidolph trained Al Salaam went head to head with Baumgartner (Murray) and Quick Glance (*Bikausaru). At the wire Al Salaam (McNaughton) got the verdict, with Baumgartner (0.10 lengths back, and QuickGlance 0.20 lengths off the winner.
In the photograph (above) taken by Gavin Macleod, Baumgartner is nearest the camera, and the yellow cap is all we can see of Apprentice Marshal Bikausaru.
Al Salaam by Mullins Bay (GB) is owned by the Sunmark Racing Three (nominee Rob Davenport) and was bred by Shadwell Stud. The four year-old gelding has now won three races.
Congratulations to the winning connections.
El Gallo (above) was the first of two winners saddled by Bridget Stidolph on Sunday March 19.
The four-year-old Toreador (Ire) gelding won a 1200m MR 75 Handicap on February 19 and followed up in his next outing, on Sunday, with a win in the 1260m MR 80 Handicap. Winning margin 3 lengths and El Gallo was followed across the line by Cool Solution, stable companion Coachella and Thriller In Manila.
Congratulations to the winning owners Newbury Racing (nominee Mr D.E. Evans). Brendon McNaughton rode both the Stidolph winners. El Gallo was bred by David Allen.
Comanche Brave, with Callan Murray up, made every post a winning one in the Breeders Champions Cup (L) at Borrowdale Park on Sunday.
The Kahal (GB) gelding is trained by Amy Bronkhorst and owned by Duncan Jones, Adrian Nydam and Steve Shutt.
Bridget Stidolphs’s pair, Mathematician and Duffi’s Call, came from behind to finish second and third, and Eurakilon, also from the Bronkhorst yard, was fourth.
The four-year-old gelding was out at the weights but proved once again he will be worth watching in future.
The winner was bred by Summerhill Stud. Congratulations to the winning connections
SOLINSKI’S SILVER SLIPPER
Solinski, trained by Kirk Swanson and with Callan Murray in the irons, won the TBA Silver Slipper at Borrowdale Park on Sunday.
The filly is owned by the Dixie Chicks Syndicate, Jackie and Duncan Cocksedge, Dubbles Draper, Ursula Malan and C.J. Smith, and was bred by Sarahdane Stud.
Borrowdale first-timer Crystalline, owned and trained by Bridget Stidolph, came with a storming finish but Solinski held on. Golden Mystery and Aloft followed.
The late scratching of much fancied Wylde Style left a field of four but it was still a good race.
Congratulations to the winning connections.
Callan Murray was in fine fettle at Borrowdale Park on Sunday, riding four of the seven winners (including the two feature races) and two seconds.
Three of the four winners were for Kirk Swanson – Supalumina, TBA Silver Slipper winner, Solinski, and Cape Cod – and the fourth was on Comanche Brave, winner of the Breeders Champions Cup, for Amy Bronkhorst.
Earlier in the afternoon the Swanson yard saddled The Catcher, winner of the 1100m Maiden Plate, with Sherman Brown up.
Bridget Stidolph sent out two winners, El Gallo and Al Salaam, both ridden by Brendon McNaughton.
Murray was involved in the closest finish of the day when Al Salaam and Baumgartner went head to head in the 1700m Merit Rated 55 Handicap – winning margin 0.10 lengths.
According to the Stipendiary Board Report Al Salaam ((McNaughton) was hanging out in the final 300 metres. Baumgartner (Murray) was hanging in at the 250 metre mark and thereafter drifted outwards in the final 100 metres.
“An objection was lodged by Jockey C Murray, the rider of the second placed horse BAUMGARTNER, against the winner AL SALAAM (B McNaughton) on the grounds of intimidation and taking his running in the closing stages of this race. The objection was over-ruled and Jockey Murray’s deposit was refunded. The result stayed as per the Official Judges Result.”
Cape Cod’s success in the get-out stakes, a 1200m Novice Plate, rounded off Murray’s memorable day. The son of Mullins Bay (GB) was Tote favourite, starting price 6/10, and may have given his supporters cause for concern when there was a line of horses across the course at about the 200 m mark. However Cape Cod drew clear, beating Detente by two lengths, followed by Tierce and Rhythmical Reply.
Photograph by Gavin Macleod. Cape Cod and Callan Murray heading for a convincing win.
Comanche Brave, with Callan Murray up, made every post a winning one in the Breeders Champions Cup (L) at Borrowdale Park today. The Kahal (GB) gelding is trained by Amy Bronkhorst and owned by Duncan Jones, Adrian Nydam and Steve Shutt.
Bridget Stidolphs’s pair, Mathematician and Duffi’s Call, came from behind to finish second and third, and Eurakilon, also from the Bronkhorst yard, was fourth.
The winner was bred by Summerhill Stud. Congratulations to the winning connections.
Solinski, trained by Kirk Swanson and with Callan Murray in the irons, won the TBA Silver Slipper at Borrowdale Park this afternoon. She is owned by the Dixie Chicks Syndicate, Jackie and Duncan Cocksedge, Dubbles Draper, Ursula Malan and C.J. Smith, and was bred by Sarahdane Stud.
Borrowdale first-timer Crystalline, owned and trained by Bridget Stidolph, came with a storming finish but Solinski held on. Golden Mystery and Aloft followed.
The late scratching of much fancied Wylde Style left a field of four.
Congratulations to the winning connections.
TRACK CONDITION: FIRM – Penetrometer: 15
Wylde Style was scratched today from the Silver Slipper.
SCRATCHED:
Race 4 6 Myths and Legends….CARD SCRATCHING
Race 5 1 Wylde Style……… INSUFFICIENT RECOVERY TIME
Race 7 4 King’s Wager VIRUS
Ryan Munger will ride King’s Wager in the last race at Borrowdale Park on Sunday
From the official MTC race card
RACE 1: The Catcher (4), Maid In The Moon(6), Muthaiga (1), Cathayness (5).
RACE 2: El Gallo (3), Coachella (5), Cool Solution (2), Gotago (4).
RACE 3: Supalumina (3), Master Stroke (1), Arial (4), Delta (5).
RACE 4: Rawedge (3), Dictate (11), Valmont (10), BullionBay (8).
RACE 5: Wylde Style (1), Solinski (5), Golden Mystery (3), Aloft (4).
RACE 6: Duffi’s Call (4), Noble Peer (7), Mathematician (1), Comanche Brave 6).
RACE 7: King’s Wager (4), Cape Cod (2), Tierce (3), Rhythmical Reply (1).
Racing at Borrowdale Park in Harare - Zimbabwe 