It seems this week most people have plenty on their minds other than racing. Hopefully, next week will be better.

The first race on Sunday is due off at 12.40 pm and the feature race is the Fillies Mile (L) where all of Mia Finola, Madonna’s Flame, Missy Franklin and Party In The Park are expected to fight out the finish.

Most interesting news is Francois Herholdt being awarded his riding license for Korea, and Ipi Tombe’s grand-daughter, Summer Afternoon, winning on debut in South Africa.

There are some competitive fields at Borrowdale Park but what with the electricity going on and off – and an intermittent internet connection when ZESA is actually on – I haven’t the energy to go into detail.

Former July winning champion Ipi Tombe made waves at Turffontein Racecourse on Thursday, when her granddaughter Summer Afternoon made a smart winning debut.

Bred and owned by Drakenstein Stud, the 3yo daughter of Drakenstein’s champion sire Trippi (pictured) ran on smartly to win first time out over 1200m by a length and a half.

Summer Afternoon, who is trained by former champion trainer Sean Tarry Racing, was ridden to victory by last season’s Champion Jockey/Apprentice Lyle Hewitson and she started the well backed 11-10 tote favourite for Thursday’s race, which took place on the Turffontein inside track.

(Another well bred first-timer Veritas for Janse Van Vuuren Stables also caught the eye – despite being green in running and taking time to quicken, Veritas stayed on when the race was all but over to take fourth –less than four lengths off the impressive winner.)

Summer Afternoon is out of the winning mare Pin Turn, a daughter of champion broodmare sire Pivotal and former Equus Champion Ipi Tombe.

A daughter of Manshood, the Zimbabwean bred Ipi Tombe, who was sold at the annual Zimbabwe auction for the approximate sum of $30, was one of the finest racemares ever bred in Africa. She began her career in Zimbabwe, where she won, before being moved to the yard of champion trainer Mike de Kock.

Under de Kock, Ipi Tombe flourished and lost just once in five South African starts, when second in the G1 Triple Tiara 1600m when making her SA debut. She then reeled off eight wins in a bounce, with her winning spree including the 2002 G1 Vodacom Durban July, beating the likes of J&B Met winner Angus and champions Celtic Grove and El Picha.

Raced by the Sunmark Stable, WinStar Farm and Team Valor International later bought into the brilliant bay.

Exported to Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Ipi Tombe proved just as lethal, with her wins including a brilliant 3.75 length win in the 2003 Jebel Hatta, before she went on to demolish a world-class field in the 2003 G1 Dubai Duty-Free.

She went to North America, but made only one start, when victorious in the 2003 G3 Locust Grove Handicap, before injury forced her retirement.

Sold at Tattersalls’s 2004 December Mare Sale for 850,000 guineas (she was the top lot sold that year), Ipi Tombe proved disappointing at stud, but, if Summer Afternoon is anything to go by, her daughters may well continue her legacy.

(This article was published today by TSA News. I would question whether Ipi Tombe, bred in Zimbabwe by Peter Moor, sold for US$30 as a yearling!)

Zimbabwe Racing Awards for the 2017-2018 racing season were announced at a function in Harare on Saturday evening.

MOTA/MTC/NHRA AWARDS

WINNER OPEN SERIES – ASHTON PARK
WINNER SPRINTER SERIES – LIFE IS GOOD
LEADING OWNER – NEWBURY RACING (Pty) Ltd (NOM: MR D.E. EVANS)
LEADING TRAINER – STIDOLPH BRIDGET
CHAMPION BREEDER – VARSFONTEIN STUD
CHAMPION JOCKEY – MUNGER RYAN
CHAMPION APPRENTICE – NO AWARD

SPEY BRIDGE AWARDS

SPEY BRIDGE CHAMPION TWO-YEAR-OLD – NO AWARD

SPEY BRIDGE CHAMPION THREE-YEAR-OLD FEMALE – RAVEN GIRL

SPEY BRIDGE CHAMPION THREE-YEAR-OLD MALE – KNUCKLEBALL

SPEY BRIDGE CHAMPION SPRINTER – COACHELLA

SPEY BRIDGE CHAMPION OLDER HORSE – SIMONA

SPEY BRIDGE HORSE OF THE YEAR – SIMONA

SPEY BRIDGE PERSONALITY OF THE YEAR – SCOTT BUCHAN

SPEY BRIDGE SPECIAL AWARDS – ASHTON PARK
– RUMBABVU PARK STUD
– AVALON FOLLETT- SMITH

PAUL MUSCUTT TROPHY -BRENDON MCNAUGHTON

The Jacarandas are magnificent at present. One has to wonder why the MTC is staging the Jacaranda Free Handicap on November 3…and not right now.

Photograph by Zimbabwe Equine News.

John Koumides’ Just As Well (USA) gelding, What A Dandy, bounced back to his best when winning the 1100m MR 65 Handicap on Saturday.

The four-year-old has now won four and been placed four times from 10 starts.

Trained by Kirk Swanson and bred by Barton Hall Stud, Just A Dandy was ridden by Sherman Brown.

Congratulations everyone.

Calvin Habib brought home two winners for Gael and Dennis Evans of Newbury Racing at Borrowdale on Saturday. They won with Pampas and Mia Finola, both trained by Bridget Stidolph. Well done everyone.

Photograph by Andrew Philip.

In addition to saddling the feature race winner, Knuckleball, on Saturday, Penny Fisher also scored with Hillah The Hun and Roy’s Sailor.

Hillah The Hun (above) is by Visionaire (USA) out of a Jet Master mare and was bred by Mr A.B. Hogg. She is owned by Gengiz Goksel and Mike Eaton and has now won two races – the latest being a 1600m MR 49 Handicap where the filly finished 1.50 lengths clear of stable companion Bomber Pilot. Hennie Greyling had the ride.

One for the notebook perhaps.

Madonna’s Flame was the first of three winners from the Stidolph stable at Borrowdale Park on Saturday.

The three-year-old daughter of Irish Flame was having her first race, a 1200m Maiden Plate, beating Dusha by 1.25 lengths.

Owned by the Gin’ll Fix It Syndicate (nominee Kirsty Stidolph), Madonna’s Flame was bred by Clifton Stud. Brendon McNaughton was riding.

Congratulations everyone.

The four-year-old son of Curved Ball (AUS), Knuckleball, won the 1800m ZNA Charity Handicap at Borrowdale Park this afternoon. He went on to the pace, chased by Heir Line, with Simona biding her time further back.

However, there was no catching Penny Fisher’s charge today. Francois Herholdt was in the irons. Simona and Heir Line went head to head for second place, with Simona getting the edge. Twilight Trip ran fourth.

Simona carried 60 kgs so this was a gallant effort, and Heir Line also ran a great race.

The winner is owned by Mr V. Guppah, Mr R.H.S. and Mrs P. Beattie, and Mr D.H. and Mrs J.L. Cocksedge. He was bred by Clifton Stud.

Congratulations to all concerned.

The first race at Borrowdale Park today, October 6, is at 11.50 am.

Make an early start because it is ZNA Day – a large crowd is expected and there are some competitive races on the card.

Photograph by Gavin McLeod

Earlier this week I said Saturday’s 1800m ZNA Charity Handicap might not be all about Simona, Roman Discent and Heir Line – and, believe me, there are some jokers in this pack.

In addition to Simona and Roman Discent, the Stidolph yard will also be represented by Bush Pilot and Twilight Trip. This pair distinguished themselves at the last race meeting, by providing a cliff-hanger finish over 1200m with 0.10 lengths separating them at the wire. Bush Pilot is nearest the camera in the photograph above.

Carrying 63kgs he got the verdict from his stable companion who was receiving 3 kgs.

It was Twilight Trip’s first outing at Borrowdale Park. This five-year-old gelding is by Trippi (USA) out of a Jet Master mare. Previously based at Kenilworth, he has 3 wins (over 1600m and 1700m) and 10 places to his credit from 16 starts. Brendon McNaughton will ride at 53 kgs.

By Judpot out of a Badger Land (USA) mare, Bush Pilot has had three starts in Harare, winning two races here over 1700m and 1200m. His two victories in Gauteng were over 1600m but the five-year-old gelding has been placed up to 2000m.

Morgan Nyamagwete, who partnered Bush Pilot when he ran third to Heir Line in the 1900m Republic Cup, will be in the irons. Set to carry 56.5kgs this time, Bush Pilot is marginally better off with Heir Line here.

The Fisher stable fields Knuckleball and Lava Flow – and neither needs to be introduced to Borrowdale Park punters.

Knuckleball (above), a four-year-old gelding by Curved Ball (AUS), ran second in the Zimbabwe Guineas, then won both the Zimbabwe 2000 and the 2400m Zimbabwe Derby last season. He has won 5 races and been placed 8 times from 13 starts.

Francois Herholdt rides at 54.5 kgs on Saturday. Knuckleball will prove just how good he is if he shapes up in this company.

Last but certainly not least is Lava Flow (below) – a seven-year-old Western Winter (USA) gelding who has won five and been placed 19 times from 46 starts.

And never forget that Lava Flow, on 52 kgs, won this race in 2016, finishing 2.50 lengths clear of Call Me Earl, Print The Pounds and Newton Power, from whom he was receiving 2.5 kgs.

He fluffed his lines in the Republic Cup, finishing 7.10 lengths off the winner but, prior to that was placed in each of his nine starts, from 1600m to 2400m. This included a win on April 29 (the day Knuckleball won the Derby).

On that occasion, Lava Flow beat Heir Line by half-a-length over 1800m when receiving 5kgs.

Lava Flow is set to carry 52 kgs in Saturday’s ZNA Charity Handicap but Hennie Greyling is likely to put up an extra kg. Even so he will be receiving 7 kgs from Simona, 5kgs from Heir Line, and 4 kgs from Roman Discent.

Only the brave will drop Lava Flow from their Quartets.

A close finish to the 2018 Castle Tankard, won by Roman Discent, then Simona,  Kilrain and Mathematician. 

Roman Discent, Simona and Heir Line, each won one of Borrowdale Park’s ‘big three’ in 2018. They meet again on Saturday in the 1800m ZNA Charity Handicap and the question is ‘Can one of them once again gain the upper hand when giving weight to the rest of the field?’

Roman Discent, carrying 52 kgs, starting price 66/1, narrowly beat Simona (52 kgs) and the favourite Kilrain (59kgs) in the $50 000 Castle Tankard (Gr1) over 2000m.

Simona went one better in the 1800m OK Grand Challenge (Gr2). The filly carrying 53,5 kgs, finished two lengths clear of the outsider Peggson (52kgs) in the $40 000 event, followed by Master Switch on 57 kgs, and Kilrain (60 kgs). The Tankard winner, Roman Discent, then burdened with 54 kgs, was fifth, about five lengths back.

Heir Line (below), coming off a victory in a 1700m MR 80 Handicap on June 17, came to the party in the $60 000 Republic Cup (Gr3) which is run over 1900m.

With 53kgs on his back, Heir Line was receiving 3 kgs from Simona, who was only one length behind him. Saturday’s runner Bush Pilot (52 kgs) was third, Master Switch (57.5 kgs) fourth, and Roman Discent (54.5 kgs) fifth.

On Saturday Simona, with a Merit Rating of 90, carries the top weight of 60kgs. Heir Line (MR 86) is on 58 kgs, and Roman Discent (MR 84) is on 57 kgs. The handicapper has played his part and Saturday’s race will establish whether 2018’s stars will retain supremacy or not.

Simona is probably the best bet. She was only a length off Heir Line over 1900m when giving away 3kgs, and the Republic Cup winner will receive 2kgs from Simona this time. Roman Discent was receiving 1.5 kgs from Simona in the Republic Cup while giving Heir Line 1.5 kgs. In the ZNA Charity Handicap he receives 3 kgs from Simona and 1 kg from Heir Line. The turnaround in weights should, in theory, bring Roman Discent back into the reckoning.

Interesting as this may be this race is probably not going to be all about Simona, Heir Line and Roman Discent.

Relative newcomer Twilight Trip has weight on his side, as have Knuckleball and the veteran, Lava Flow. Bush Pilot cannot be discounted. And the ‘big races” this year have been won by horses carrying 52 kgs, 53.5 kgs and 53 kgs, respectively.

Fortunately, we have the rest of the week to brood about that.

Simona won the 2018 OK Grand Challenge run over 1800m.  Minor places went to Peggson, Master Switch, and Kilrain.