Recent arrival at Borrowdale Park is the Joe Somo-trained Rushmore River, a runner in Sunday’s $40 000 Republic Cup.

The four-year-old son of Windrush is a four time winner and has raced with some of the best at Turffontein. Apprentice Callan Murray will be in the saddle on Sunday. He knows the horse, having ridden him in his last two outings.
Photograph: Rosie Dorward

Things were more or less going to plan in the last race at Borrowdale Park on Sunday – a 1000m MR 70 Handicap – then along came Changa and the more fancied Major Vaughan, Ebony Silver and Supa Challenge had to be content with the minor places. Mogok’s daughter, with JP van der Merwe aboard, burst through the pack, winning by 1.25 lengths.

Changa is trained by Kirk Swanson and owned by Nadia Barnwell and John Koumides. Nadia is also the breeder. The three-year-old filly has now won twice and been placed twice from four starts.

Photograph: Gavin Macleod

For a while it seemed Tallie Two had forgotten how to come with that devastating swoop from behind, but she was back to her winning ways at Borrowdale Park on Sunday, getting up to beat Diversify by 0.05 lengths. The daughter of Soar With Eagles (USA) has now won four races and been placed seven times from 14 starts.

Ryan Munger rode the filly in the 2200m MR 75 Handicap. She is owned by Julie Zieve and John Koumides, trained by Gee Racing and was bred by Julie. Oaks winner Fig Jam was third while River Waltz and Say So Tiger dead-heated in fourth place.

Photograph: Gavin MacLeod

Confabulate, owned by Gray Neely, Alan Smith, John Koumides, Ronald Mhizha, Anna Mason and Merlyn Chant, came to the Kirk Swanson party on Sunday, winning the 1800m Maiden Plate. The Oracy (NZ) gelding runs in Merlyn Chant’s colours and they made it to the Number One box at the third time of asking.

The three-year-old, bred by Klawervlei Stud, was ridden by Francois Herholdt. Congratulations to all the winning connections.

Hot on the heels of Road to Dubai, the Right Approach (GB) colt, Young Diplomat, provided the Kirk Swanson/John Koumides combination with another winner in the 1600m MR 60 Handicap.

Apprentice Serino Moodley had the ride which brings his winning score to four. Sea Clipper, Stirling Road and Arrowfield filled the minor places.

The five-year-old Toreador gelding, having his third start in ZImbabwe, won the 1200m MR 50 Handicap, finishing well clear of Walton Heath, Maturin and Agnetha. He is owned by the Equisynd Syndicate, trained by Seb d’Aquino and was ridden by Ryan Munger.

Ian Sturgeon and Raymond Danielson were unable to fulfill their riding engagements at Borrowdale Park on Sunday, but fortunately Ryan Munger was able to step into the breach. He picked up some good rides and won twice during the afternoon.

Tail Wind, starting at 55/1, regained his best earlier form and won the 1000m Maiden Plate on Sunday. The Windrush gelding is owned and trained by Jannie Blignaut and he was ridden by Apprentice Norbert Takawira.

Later in the afternoon Takawira took what seemed to be a terrible tumble in the fifth race on the Borrowdale card, but nothing daunted he was back on board Diversify in the following event, only going down to Tallie Two by a whisker.

Kirk Swanson;’s charge, Road To Dubai, was going for his hat-trick in the 1300m MR 80 Handicap – and he achieved it, holding off Principled Man.

Sired by The Sheik, Road to Dubai, owned by John Koumides, was ridden by Francois Herholdt and bred by Scott Bros.

During the course of the afternoon Kirk saddled four winners, John Koumides visited the Winner’s Enclosure on five occasions, and Herholdt won again for the Swanson stable on Confabulate.
Photograph: Gavin Macleod

The Argonaut colt, Equiano, with Apprentice Mathew Thackeray in the irons, won the 1200m Champion Juvenile Stakes at Borrowdale Park on Sunday by a staggering 6 lengths. with Call Me Earl, Demagogue and Rocky Road filling the minor placings.

The colt is half-brother to Zimbabwe’s Champion racemare, Equina, and it appears he has inherited all the necessary genes. His sire, Argonaut, I have recently learned, is now based in Zimbabwe.
Equiano is owned by Peter Moor and trained by Amy Bronkhorst. He was bred by Cheveley Stud. Congratulations to all the winning connections.

Photograph: Gavin Macleod

Top-weighted Gentle Brook with Apprentice Mathew Thackeray up won the 1600m MR 70 Handicap by three lengths on June 6 at Borrowdale Park.

Tomorrow (Sunday June 14) the talented young jockey will represent South Africa in the 3rd edition of the prestigious Prix Longines Future Racing Stars in Chantilly, France.

Al-Salaam, by Mullins Bay (GB), proved a worthy favourite in the first race on OK Day, a 1000m Maiden Juvenile Plate. The colt, bred by Shadwell Stud, had shown improvement in each of his three previous races.

The two-year-old colt is trained by Bridget Stidolph, was ridden by Randall Simons and is owned by the Sunmark Syndicate.

The tussle between Al-Salaam and first-timer Betula Uber resulted in the closest of finishes with only 0.05 lengths separating the two juveniles at the line. Al-Salaam triumphed and both horses will be worth watching in future.

Betula Uber is by Ideal World (USA) – a stallion making a name for himself this season. She was bred by Mauritzfontein Stud.