La Carmelita and winning connections

Recent import La Carmelita (4/1) won the 1800m Champion Fillies Stakes by an astonishing 7.75 lengths at Borrowdale Park on Sunday, leaving Ladies First, Betula Uber and Belle Epoque in the dust.

The four-year-old daughter of Ideal World (USA) was bred by Mauritzfontein Stud and was having her second start in Harare, having previously run second to Standpoint over 2200m. She is trained by Bridget Stidolph and was ridden by Fanie Chambers. Gael and Dennis Evans of Newbury Racing were on course to welcome their filly back in the Parade Ring.

The penetrometer reading on Sunday was 18 – some improvement on the hard going experienced at previous meetings.

Bridget Stidolph and Fanie Chambers also scored in the 1700m Maiden Plate won by Harare first-timer, Placid Sea, also owned by Newbury Racing.

Congratulations to the winning connections.

ALMOST A CLEAN SWEEP

Noble Peer – a family affair

Penny Fisher saddled three of the first four horses past the post in the 1800m MR 89 Handicap at Borrowdale on Sunday.

The honours went to Noble Peer (Ryan Munger), with stable mates Lava Flow (Greyling) 0.75 lengths back, and Call Me Earl (Van der Merwe) fourth. The Gokhan Terzi trained Tandava finished third, two lengths behind the winner.

Noble Peer is owned by the Fisher family and the son of Miesque’s Approval (USA) has now won four races. He was bred by George Rowles.

Earlier in the afternoon the Fisher yard and Ryan Munger won the 1600m MR 60 Handicap with David’s Flower.

ENDING THE DAY ON A HIGH NOTE

Cool Solution with some of his happy owners

The Swanson yard sent out three winners at Borrowdale Park on Sunday afternoon, collecting the training honours in the process.

Phantom Major and Gateway Gamble won the first two races and the day ended on a high note when Cool Solution romped home in the 1100m MR 78 Handicap, the get-out stakes. Sherman Brown was aboard the first two winners.

By Mullins Bay (GB) out of a Tilden (IRE) mare, the four-year-old gelding, Cool Solution, is owned by Ron Mhizha, Sean Gorringe, Z.R. Lusengo, Sterling Miller, D.K. Ward, Mark Wood,Gary Carter, Paula Lewis, Ursula Malan and Anna Mason. Keagan de Melo was in the irons.

The next Borrowdale Park race meeting, featuring the HRIB Gold Cup,  is on Saturday, December 3.  The HRIB Card Call will be held in the Ipi Tombe Room on Thursday, December 1, immediately after the Mashonaland Owners & Trainers Annual General Meeting.

 

 

David’s Flower should go close in the third race, a 1600, MR 60 Handicap.

Race 1: Flasher On The Run (5), Coachella (2), Beretta (7), Danger Dan (3).

Race 2: Invincible Swan (1), Fashion World (6), Gateway Gamble (4), Eurozone (2).

Carla The Rebel, seen here with Lance Pagel in the irons, runs off the highest rating in the Champion Fillies Stakes, but can she win?

Glenwood Racing fields six of the eight runners in the 1800m Champion Fillies Stakes at Borrowdale Park on Sunday, including Carla The Rebel, winner of the 1600m ZRP Fillies Charity Stakes on October 23.

Scarlett Ice (second in the Charity Stakes) and Ladies First, also from the Terzi yard, step out again, and will be joined by stable mates Belle Epoque,  Betula Uber and Sky.

Bridget Stidolph is taking on this formidable line-up with Dictate and La Carmelita, both bred to stay.  Dictate, by Silvano (GER) out of a Model Man mare, has not previously raced at Borrowdale, but won a 1950m Maiden Plate at Scottsville on June 22.  The four-year-old will jump from the Number Three stall on Sunday and Apprentice Mathew Thackeray takes the ride.

La Carmelita, by Ideal World (USA), debuted at Borrowdale at the last race meeting, running second to Standpoint in the 2000m MR 65 Handicap.  She won a 1400m Maiden Plate at Greyville in April,  is drawn 7 on Sunday and stable jockey Fanie Chambers will be in the irons.

Silvano (GER) and Ideal World (USA) are also represented within the Terzi string.  Ladies First is by the German sire out of an Al Mufti (USA) mare and this four-year-old won at Borrowdale over 1600m and 1700m.  She finished 4.75 lengths behind Duffi’s Call in the 2000m Zimbabwe Oaks when Sunday’s runner, Betula Uber, was second (1.75 lengths back), with Belle Epoque and Sky not really shaping.

At the last Borrowdale Park meeting the penetrometer reading was 13 and over the weekend there was a soaking rain with more expected.  At the very least the sting will be out of the ground, and a marked change in the going has to be considered.  Should there be a deluge bear in mind that Ladies First has won in soft conditions.  Collen Storey will be aboard and Ladies First has drawn 5.

Although Betula Uber, the daughter of Ideal World (USA), is only a one time winner over 1600m, she was second to Duffi’s Call in the Oaks, and second to 2015 Horse Of The Year Mathematician in the 2400m Zimbabwe Derby. The race she won, at two years, was the Breeders Fillies Mile. At the last meeting Betula Uber had a pipe opener, finishing third to El Gallo over 1200m.  Keagan de Melo rides on Sunday, the four-year-old filly is drawn 2, and over ground one has to fancy her chances.

 Betula Uber, with Wes Marwing up, won the Breeders Fillies Mile

Three-time winner, Belle Epoque, by Seventh Rock (AUS) out of a Kitalpha (USA) mare, is going for a hat-trick, having won her last two starts over 1100m and 1200m. She has done most of her racing over shorter trips but finished fifth in the Oaks. Juan Paul van der Merwe will ride this filly and she is drawn 1.

Wesley Marwing is on  Scarlett Ice and Brendon McNaughton will be mounted on Sky. Scarlett Ice and Carla The Rebel are the only five-year-olds in this race where Scarlett Ice will take on the four-year-olds at level weights.  Carla The Rebel, a winner of five races, carries an extra 2kgs, and Sherman Brown has been engaged to ride her.

By Black Minnaloushe (USA) Scarlett Ice won her first two starts at Borrowdale, over 1600 and 1700m.  She was second to Perfect Grace over 1800m in May, and is usually thereabouts.  In the recent ZRP Charity Fillies Stakes Scarlett Ice ran second to Carla The Rebel at level weights.  When in receipt of 2kgs she could turn the tables.

As a rule I wouldn’t get too excited about anything featuring only two stables but this seems an open race, and a likely change in the going makes it more interesting. Presumably both Stidolph runners are in it to win it, but Gokhan Terzi has a strong hand here.  Unfortunately, at this stage, I can’t decide which of his runners to go with.

Perhaps it is significant that JP is riding Belle Epoque… he has partnered her in two of her three victories.

The first race on Sunday is due off at 13.05 and the Champion Fillies Stakes takes place at 16.00.

Sheik’s Brashee (Ryan Munger) being chased by Approval Rating, Road To Dubai and Newton Power in the 1000m MR 95 Handicap.

The Penny Fisher yard sent out two winners at Borrowdale Park on Sunday, November 6.   As well as the feature race winner, Kevin Barry, the Fisher team took the last race of the afternoon, a 1000m Merit Rated 95 Handicap, with Sheik’s Brashee.

This six-year-old gelding by The Sheik finished three lengths clear of Approval Rating when in receipt of 3.5 kgs.  Ryan Munger was in the irons and Sheik’s Brashee is owned by Vanessa Birketoft and bred by R.C. Muir Thoroughbred Enterprises. This was his third start in Harare and he has now won six races.

EL GALLO ‘S FIRST HARARE WIN

Bridget Stidolph was in the Winner’s Enclosure with El Gallo after the running of the 1200m Novice Plate.  The son of Toreador (IRE) was involved in a tight finish with Uptown Gal, with Betula Uber and Jinx Johnson following.  The four-year-old is owned by Newbury Racing  and bred by David Allan. Brendon McNaughton had the winning ride.

El Gallo won the 1200m Novice Plate.

LET’S NOT FORGET CHUM

At last the mostly reliable Chum left the maidens in the 1800m Maiden Plate, although stablemate Supalumina (only 0.25 lengths back) almost spoilt his fun.  In The Oven was close behind, while Chatou finished further back.

It seems as if Chum and In The Oven have been meeting up with each other forever but, in fact, this was only Chum’s eighth start, and he has been paying for his keep.  Now that he is out of the way surely In The Oven will graduate next.

By Ideal World (USA) and bred by Mauritzfontein Stud, Chum is owned by John Koumides and trained by Kirk Swanson. Sherman Brown was riding.

Chum has quit the Maidens and is now set to achieve better things.

The next Borrowdale Park race meeting is on Sunday, November 20, and features the 1800m Champion Fillies Stakes.  The Nominations for this meeting have already been posted.

Photographs: Gavin Macleod

Gokhan Terzi saddled another three winners at Borrowdale Park on Sunday, getting off to a good start with first-timer Jameson Run (below) in the 1000m Maiden Plate.

The three-year-old gelding by Seventh Rock (AUS) is owned by Christopher Peech and Craig Danckwerts, and was bred by Rumbavu Park Stud. Wesley Marwing was in the irons and Jameson Run (18/10) beat his slightly more fancied stable companion, Roberta’s Passion, by two lengths.

Kevin Barry, nearest the camera, passing Wylde Style, to win the 1200m Jacaranda Free Handicap at Borrowdale Park on Sunday – and collecting a very old-fashioned look from his rival who was conceding 4 kgs.

A great performance from the Horse Chestnut colt, bred locally by the Spotted Pig Stud – and an equally good showing from Wylde Style who went down by only a length at the finish.

( FROM THE OFFICIAL MASHONALAND TURF CLUB CARD)

RACE 1: Roberta’s Passion (9), Nemba Beach (1), Megagram (3), King’s Wager (2)

RACE 2:  El Gallo (5), Uptown Gal (8), Jinx Johnson (9), Betula Uber (6)

RACE 3: In The Oven (2), Chum (1), Karatu 3),  Explorer’s Club (7)

RACE 4: Bullion Bay (2), Muhannad (6), Seven Kingdoms (1), Full Court (5)

RACE 5: Standpoint (4), Red Savage (3), Quick Glance (1), Finlay (2)

RACE 6: Wylde Style (1), Kevin Barry (5), Devil In Command (4), Rebel Soldier (2)

RACE 7: Sheik’s Brashee (2), Approval Rating (1), Newton Power (5), Road To Dubai (4)

The first race, a 1000m Maiden Plate, is due off at 13 15. The main race, the 1200m Jacaranda Free Handicap, will be run at 16 05.  Champion juvenile of the 2015/16 season, Wylde Style (below), takes on the colts  here, while giving away weight all round. Don’t miss this one…it is a race which  often  points towards better things to come.  The sprinting big guns come out in the last race of the afternoon, a  1100m MR 95 Handicap. 

Gateway Gamble (4/1) won the last race at Borrowdale Park on Sunday, a 1000m MR 49 Handicap, holding off Tail Wind 18/1, Fashion World 22/10 and Temple Run 3/1.

Sorry to say the Pick 6 was won by 1.4 lucky ticket holders – a healthy payout as Scottsville was postponed – and no carryover.

The Amy Bronkhorst yard has moved from Borrowdale Park to a farming area and on Sunday Amy saddled her first runners since making the move.
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A change is said to be as good as a holiday and Piece Of Pizzaz, by AP Answer (USA), seems to have settled in well. Always prominent in the 1600m Maiden Plate, the four-year-old filly kept finding more, finally beating In The Oven by 0.05 lengths.

The five-year-old Var (USA) gelding, Avaricious, won the  1800m Merit Rated 55 Handicap  at Borrowdale Park on Sunday, well clear of Anthony’s Lazer.

Chase Maujean was riding for Penny Fisher, and Avaricious is owned by the Zonke Ena Mushe Syndicate.  It is always good to see some of Borrowdale’s most enthusiastic supporters finish in the money.

Avaricious was bred by Messrs M.C. Berzack and B. Joffe. Winning margin 2 lengths, starting price 4/1.

The Seventh Rock (AUS) filly, Belle Epoque, made it two in a row when winning the 1200m MR 65 Handicap at Borrowdale on Sunday. She was followed by Princeton Tiger, Cool Solution and Aquaba. The fancied Uptown Gal and Romantic Balladeer, finished fifth and sixth.

Belle Epoque is trained by Gokhan Terzi and Juan Paul van der Merwe was in the irons. The four-year-old filly, now a three-time winner, is owned by Christopher Peech and was bred by Rumbavu Park Stud. The winning margin was 4.75 lengths, starting price 9/2.

Without doubt the most exciting finish at Borrowdale on October 23 involved Tandava (above) and Comanche Brave (3/4), in the  1800m Merit Rated 80 Handicap. At the line they were separated by the proverbial whisker.

By Century Stand (AUS), Tandava is owned and bred by Dave Rosser . Hennie Greyling rode for Gokhan Terzi.

Noble Peer and Madigan brought up the rear.