Supa Challenge winning on HRIB Day, followed by Say So Tiger, and Jean’s Dancer. It’s By Jingo ran fourth. Photograph courtesy of Zimbabwe Equine News.

Lance Pagel and Supa Challenge will be hoping for a hat-trick in the 1700m Merit Rated 70 Handicap. The son of Soar With Eagles (USA) has done the meet and beat scenario with the majority of this field, but now has more to do.

His stable companion Wee Doch ‘n Dorris should pose even more of a threat over this shorter distance. It’s By Jingo will be up there, while Two Gun Kid and Jean’s Dancer meet Supa Challenge on slightly better terms. Those with a real weight advantage are Bankers Blues, River Waltz and Heron Boy.

Frequent placers Bachata, Expensive and Thunder Fury come out again at Borrowdale Park on Sunday in the 1700m Maiden Plate, where Vaya Con Dios, Baumgartner, Finlay and Magnificent Mile will be lining up to spoil their fun.

Finlay finished in front of Thunder Fury last time out, and is likely to improve on that, but  Baumgartner and Magnificent Mile are interesting runners.

The first leg of the Pick 6 is rarely easy but the more one looks at Sunday’s 1200m Merit Rated 70 Handicap, the more difficult it seems.

Few of the 13 runners are without claims to fame – I am thinking about Gotago, Porterhouse, Sword Of Truth, Changa, Chestnut Girl and Mind Games – but Romantic Balladeer and Pente’s Daughter can also pick up their heels.

The first race at Borrowdale Park on Sunday is due off at 12 55 and it is the first of three events over the 1100m trip. Eight runners are carded for this Maiden Plate where Nemba Beach, Copper Sky and Ladies First look the pick.

Bullion Bay, a three-year-old Bankable (IRE) gelding, is having his first outing in Harare. He raced at Tuffontein and the Vaal from 1450m – 1600m for two places from 6 starts. Another newcomer to Borrowdale is the Gavin Macleod-trained Sand Storm, a four-year-old filly by Mullins Bay (GB) who will be having her first start.

It gets tedious sitting on top of your tree waiting for the big day. So one of the Harare-based Christmas fairies took time-out to fly around Borrowdale Park this week.

She is seen here getting up close and personal with Lucky Sam while spreading some Christmas cheer.

We hope you all have a wonderful time on Friday and an especially great 2016. See you at the races on January 3.

We were racing at Borrowdale Park on Sunday and couldn’t have had a better day had we been at Ascot or Chantilly.  It was packed with good racing but the feature event, the 1450m Zimbabwe Challenge, will give us something to talk about until racing resumes on January 3.

One can talk about cliffhanger or nailbiting finishes but this one was incredible – no other words will do. Super Trouper came out of nowhere to deny Thriller In Manila  the victory in the last stride.   Man of the moment was jockey Brendon McNaughton who said afterwards he knew at the 200m mark that Super Trouper could do it.  Believe me, at that stage, no-one watching gave the son of West Man (USA) a glimmer of a chance.

At the presentation of the Zimbabwe Challenge Trophy part owner, Spencer Murray, said this was the best finish he had witnessed in 50 years.  Hopefully the race video will soon be available so those who missed it can see for themselves.

Super Trouper was slow away and seemed to be dallying at the back of the field while Thriller In Manila (*Ryan Munger) went on to the pace with Pegwell Bay tracking. The Gharir gelding maintained the lead throughout the race, shaking off challenges in the process, while Super Trouper looked anything but threatening.  I always keep an eye on Madigan (Herholdt) but he too seemed boxed in midfield, also without a prayer.

In the last few strides everything changed.  Super Trouper grew wings and the screams from the Ipi Tombe Room were quite sensational as he put his nose in front . And there was Madigan going into the third box – don’t ask me how he got there because we only had eyes for the “Thriller” and Super Trouper at the death. Only 0.85 lengths separated the first three horses.  Approval Rating came fourth and this was truly an amazing race.

Super Trouper is owned by Gengiz Goksel, Paul Rugg and Grant Littleford, as well as Spencer Murray,   and trained by Gokhan Terzi.  The 8-year-old gelding has now won 12 races, and was bred by Clifton Stud.

He was acclaimed the People’s Horse, by popular vote, at the end of the 2014/15 racing season – and we can look forward to more of the same in 2016.

GAVIN MACLEOD provided the photograph of the Zimbabwe Challenge Finish.

THE MAN OF THE MOMENT

When you see Brendon McNaughton  (BELOW) and Super Trouper team up – watch out. They made headlines when winning the Zimbabwe Challenge at Borrowdale Park on Sunday, December 13, 2015 – having won the same race on December 14, 2014. Believe it or not Thriller In Manila was also beaten by a whisker into second place last year.

PHOTOGRAPH: Rosie Dorward

Brendon McNaughton

There is racing at Borrowdale Park on Sunday, and plenty of class in the feature, the Zimbabwe Challenge, which will be run over 1450.

Those that finished behind Road to Dubai in  the 1200m HRIB Gold Cup may very well prefer this trip and this includes Lucky Sam, Approval Rating, Super Trouper, Pegwell Bay and Thriller In Manila.

Equina can never be overlooked, nor Eurakilon, neither of whom raced in the HRIB. Hard to choose but if I had to pick three it would be Equina, Super Trouper and Eurakilon – just because.

This photograph of Equina,  by Gavin MacLeod, was snapped on July 26 when she won the 1400m Breeders Sprint with Apprentice Serino Moodley in the irons.

WISH THE ‘BABIES WELL’

The first juvenile race of the 2015/16 is due off at 13.20 at Borrowdale Park on Sunday.  Ten two-year-olds are set to canter down to the start…with no previous form one can only wish them well and a safe return to the parade ring. Continue reading →

Windigo, first winner from the Swanson yard, made us take notice.

By now everyone knows Kirk Swanson saddled three winners at Borrowdale Park on Saturday, including the HRIB Gold Cup winner, Road To Dubai. The four-year-old gelding, by The Sheik, franked his recent form in a competitive race with the first three horses finishing within 1.05 lengths of each other.

Now a six-time winner, Road to Dubai is owned by John Koumides and was bred by Scott Bros.

Francois Herholdt, riding Road To Dubai, was chased home by Gentle Brook (Daniel Frank) and Principled Man (Brendon McNaughton).  Lucky Sam, returning after a long lay-off, ran fourth. Continue reading →

The classy Century Stand (AUS) colt, Call Me Earl, carrying top weight, proved his Classic potential when holding off a determined challenge from Super Good in Saturday’s 1600m Tote Free Handicap.

His delighted owners, Diz Buckler and Fiona Olivier, were there to congratulate him. Call Me Earl is out of the Rabah (GB) mare Al Czarina and was bred by Sarahdane Stud. He is trained by Alyson Wright and was ridden by Francois Herholdt. Francie had a great day, this being his third winning ride that afternoon.

The 2015 HRIB Gold Cup was won by Road To Dubai in a thrilling finish involving Gentle Brook, Principled Man and Lucky Sam. Top weighted Approval Rating finished fifth.

The four-year-old gelding by The Sheik and out of a Model Man mare, is owned by John Koumides, trained by Kirk Swanson and was ridden by Francois Herholdt. He was bred by Scott Bros. Congratulations to all the winning connections.

Source: Bumper Day At Borrowdale

Pegwell Bay won the Sable Flyers (L) over 1300m but has more to do on Saturday

It is a big day at Borrowdale Park on Saturday – and, yes, I do know that the R2 000 000 Gauteng Sansui Summer Cup is on at Turffontein.

In Harare the US$13 000 HRIB Gold Cup will be run over 1200m, and earlier in the afternoon 10  promising  three-year-olds will contest the 1600m Tote Free Handicap. This is always an interesting event as it provides insight to the Classics.

The 15 horses nominated to run in the US$13 000 HRIB Gold Cup all stood their ground, and the field includes Approval Rating, who won this race in 2013, as well as Picalilly and Gentle Brook,  second and third, respectively, to On This Rock, last year.

The Sansui Summer Cup (Gr 1) is due off at 4.15, 20 minutes after the start of the HRIB.  We would all be watching this race anyway but, with Zimbabwean jockey Quinton Riddle aboard Yer-Maan, it will be hard to contain the excitement. Continue reading →