Muhannad (ARG), by Giant;’s Causeway(USA) out of a Danehill (USA) mare – another South African raider – won the 1600m Maiden Plate with visiting jockey Athandiwe Mgudlwa aboard.

Muhannad with Alistair Fisher, jockey Athandiwe Mgudlwa and groom Enock Gwingwizha.

Trained by Alyson Wright, and owned by Mr F.J. De Chasteigner Du Mee, Muhannad was bred by Phalaris Breeding Ltd. Alistair Fisher and groom Enoch Gwingwizha were standing by to meet the four-year-old gelding in the parade ring.

Aiiyayaii was a popular winner of the 1000m Maiden Juvenile Plate, first leg of the Borrowdale Pick 6 on Saturday, June 6. The three-year-old Tiger Dance (USA) gelding, trained by Gokhan Terzi, and owned by Messrs G. Goksel and V.C. Veeramootoo, was bred by Druk-My-Niet Stud.

Aiiyayaii (Apprentice Wesley Marwing) won by 1.25 lengths.

Apprentice Wesley Marwing was in the irons and at the line beat Burg’s Overture (Kevin Derere) by 1.25 lengths.

Talk about horses for courses! It would appear OK Grand Challenge winner Yer-Maan has come into his own at Borrowdale Park and there is no stopping this six-year-old son of Jam Alley (AUS).

The St John Gray owned and trained gelding won the US$50 000 Castle Tankard (GR1) run over 2000m on May 16 and on Saturday collected the coveted US$40 000 OK Grand Challenge (GR2), an 1800m event.
The next big race at Borrowdale is the Republic Cup (GR3) over 1900m due to take place on July 11.

Quinton Riddle and Yer-Maan did it agin

The question is whether Yer-Maan and his stable companion, Norgay, will still be around to contest it – and if they are I am not going to waste a lot of time working out the likely winner. Yer-Maan ran off a 103 MR in the OK and the Benchmark is MR 102 in the Republic Cup, maximum weight 61 kgs – he carried 61.5 kgs on Saturday. Continue reading →

Leading the parade for the 2015 Grand Challenge was Gold Flame who won the big race in 2002 and 2004. The son of Goldkeeper (USA) also won the Independence Trophy and the Castle Tankard in 2002. His 10 career victories included the Zimbabwe Guineas when he was a three-year-old back in 1999.

Gold Flame and Becky Chant led the OK Grand Challenge Parade.

Since then Gold Flame has made a name for himself in show jumping circles and he is stabled at Borrowdale Park. Becky Chant, the proud owner, rode him in the OK parade…she is my daughter-in-law so be careful what you say.

An official crowd of 71,399 attended the Gr 2 OK Grand Challenge meeting on Saturday. The meeting traditionally attracts a massive crowd, as cars and myriad other prizes are given away on course, and the record crowd is apparently around
the 80,000 mark.

Clyde Basel, the marketing and sales executive of Phumelela, was on course and said the event was extremely efficiently organised. The huge crowd revelled in the festive atmosphere and the day was memorable for most.

Yer-Maan made light of top weight, winning the US$40 000 OK Grand Challenge in a storming finish, from Thriller In Manila, Rock The Country and Equina.

The six-year-old Jam Allley (AUS) gelding won the $50 000 Castle Tankard on May 16, making this a big race double for owner trainer St John Gray and Zimbabwe’s champion jockey Quinton Riddle. Yer-Maan was bred by Graystone Stud. Hearty congratulations to all the winning connections, and to trainer Amy Bronkhorst who saddled the second and and fourth horses past the post.

Century Sunrise, also by Century Stand (AUS) and bred by Sarahdane Stud in ZImbabwe, won the second race, an 1100m Maiden Plate, at Borrowdale Park on Sunday.

Century Sunrise bred by Sarahdane Stud.

This was the three-year-old gelding’s first start and he finished ahead of Burg’s Overture, Bachata and Go Galaxy. Owned by Kamal Khalfan, and trained by Bridget Stidloph, Century Sunrise was ridden by Donavan Mansour..

The Century Stand (AUS) colt, Paint It Black, sent out by Gee Racing, was an easy winner of the 1200m Maiden Juvenile Plate on Sunday, beating Al Salaam, Slick and Kooza by 2, 5 and 5,25 lengths respectively.

Paint It Black by Century Stand (AUS).

Quinton Riddle was in the irons and the colt is owned by Craig Adamson, Kevin Fallon and Kevin O’Connor. He was bred by Spotted Pig Stud in Zimbabwe and this was his first start.

It was a satisfying afternoon for owner/breeder Fiona Olivier with home bred Shezawarrior winning the 1700m Maiden Plate, followed past the post by Believe I Can Fly, also running in the Olivier colours.  Shezawarrior was ridden by Francois Naude and Believe I Can Fly by Apprentice Norbert Takawira  – both fillies trained by Kirk Swanson.

The three-year-old Shezawarrior is by Soar With Eagles (USA) out of a Rich Man’s Gold mare.  Believe I Can Fly, bred by Sarahdane Stud, is by Fly By Day (AUS) out of Didoe by Kahal (GB).

The winners of the first two races on the Borrowdale card on Sunday – Paint It Black and Century Sunrise – were also locally bred, and both by Century Stand (AUS).  Good to see Zimbabwe breds coming to the fore.

Shezawarrior with Francois Herholdt up won the 1700m Maiden Plate.

The Ideal World (USA) filly, Fig Jam, won the Bloodstock SA Zimbabwe Oaks (L) run over 2000m at Borrowdale Park on Sunday. Jackie Cocksedge presented the trophy, on behalf of Bloodstock SA, to the winning trainer and jockey, Kirk Swanson and Francois Herholdt.

Fig Jam is owned by Colin Bird and was bred by Mauritzfontein Stud.

The winning margin was 1.75 lengths, and Print The Pounds, Tallie Two and Latin Queen filled the minor placings.

Francois Herholdt, Jackie Cocksedge and Kirk Swanson with the Oaks trophy

The Bloodstock Zimbabwe Oaks (L) over 2000m is the feature race at Borrowdale Park on Sunday and Zimbabwe Guineas winner Print The Pounds will be back in action.

The AP Answer (USA) filly disappointed when finishing third behind Eversolucky in the 1800m TBA Silver Slipper (L) on March 8, raising some stamina doubts. However Bridget Stidolph’s charge may have had an off day, she is the only four-time winner in the race, so has to be given another chance. Donavan Mansour rides Print The Pounds for the first time on Sunday.

Tallie Two appears to be the main danger as we know she is distance suited. She was 1.75 lengths ahead of Print The Pounds in the Silver Slipper and ran 1.75 lengths off Merhaba in the Bloodstock South Africa 2000 (GR3). This filly was expected to shine in the Zimbabwe Derby, also won by Merhaba, but finished down the field. Possibly 2400m was a step too far but her rider that day, Apprentice Callan Murray, reported something amiss during the race although, post race, nothing untoward was found.

Tallie Two is trained by Alyson Wright and she will be ridden this time by Ian Sturgeon. If she strips fit I expect this daughter of Soar With Eagles (USA) will be hard to beat. Both Print The Pounds and Tallie Two are drawn well in stalls 5 and 3 respectively.

Of course the chances are that this is going to be more than a two-horse race. Continue reading →