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 →

ALTHOUGH THE Borrowdale Park race meeting on May 16 was all about the 53^rd running of the $50 000 Castle Tankard, and the winner, Yer-Maan, there were six other races on the card.

The progeny of Argonaut won the first two events with Equiano, from the Amy Bronkhorst yard, being first to score in the 1200m Maiden Plate. The two-year-old gelding, owned by Peter Moor, was ridden by Karl Zechner. and finished 4 lengths clear of newcomer Aiiyayaii.  He was followed by Promising and Setswana. Equiano started at 13/20 and was bred by Cheveley Stud.

Equiano and Karl Zechner – an easy win.

Next up was Demagogue, with Apprentice Wesley Marwing aboard, an easy winner of the 1200m TBA Sales Stakes. The two-year-old colt is owned by Genghis Goksel, trained by Gokhan Terzi and was bred by Riverton Stud. Super Good and Go Galaxy finished second and third, with Starry Notions and AP Ikhaja deadheating in fourth place. Another result pleasing to punters as Demagogue started at 18/10. Continue reading →

(David Thistleton of Gold Circle has been chatting to Alyson and Kevin Wright….)

Summerveld trainer Alyson Wright had her big Western Winter gelding Warcraft on a float to her home country of Zimbabwe a day or two after he had galloped the field into the ground under apprentice Tristan Godden in a handicap over 1900m on the Greyville polytrack on Saturday, and on May 16 he will attempt to land a third Castle Tankard trophy for the yard in the space of four years.

The Gr 1 US$50,000 Castle Tankard over 2000m, run at Harare’s world class Borrowdale racecourse, is Zimbabwe’s most prestigious horserace and the Wright’s went within 0,5 lengths of claiming hattrick of wins in the big race last year. They won it with Code Rock, ridden by Francois Herholdt, in 2012 and A King Is Born, by a facile four lengths under Deon Sampson, in 2013. A King Is Born failed by half-a-length to repeat his win last year.
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The 15 Acceptors for the $50 000 Castle Tankard to be run over 2000m at Borrowdale Park on May 16 includes several South African raiders, among them Warcraft, a winner over 1900m. Trained by Alyson Wright, the four-year-old gelding is by Western Winter (USA) out of an Elliodor mare and is a four-time winner.

Warcraft (below) is seen here winning a 1900m MR 90 Divided Handicap in November 2014, with Athandiwe Mgudiwa in the irons. This Saturday he won a MR 78 Handicap at Greyville, also 1900m.

(This is my personal opinion and one which may not be shared by other members of the MOTA Committee – Sheldene Chant)

The vast majority of people who own racehorses do so for the love of the game and not because they are likely to make money.

Borrowdale Park has been fortunate in that some owners have supported this racing venue regardless of constant setbacks, disappointments and ever increasing expenses. They may not be particularly pleased with the situation but are in for the long haul because they enjoy racing.

As I am quite ancient I remember Borrowdale Park at its best when we raced three or four times a month. Although the course was subjected to more racing then, the annual racing break in August lasted three weeks. Now we are lucky to race twice a month and the annual break extends over six weeks. At that time the Mashonaland Turf Club actually promoted racing, and recognised that live racing was the reason for its existence. Oh well…those were the days, but back to the present.

The 2400m Zimbabwe Derby was due to be run at Borrowdale Park on Sunday, April 22, but heavy rain fell during the week, starting on Wednesday. By Saturday no reasonable person living within 25kms of the racecourse could have expected to race on Sunday, and that includes trainers and “stipes”. As Borrowdale “imports” several jockeys from South Africa for each race meeting (airfares and riding fees paid for by the owners) a decision was looked for on Saturday afternoon, without success.

At about 8.30 on Sunday morning interested parties were informed that racing would go ahead – and the rest is history. After two races the meeting was cancelled because of the going.
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Rob Davenport (Nominee: Sunmark Syndicate), jockey Donovan Mansour, Solomon David and Bridget Stidolph after the Announce gelding, Super Good, won the 1100m Maiden Juvenile Plate in heavy going at Borrowdale Park on Sunday.

Racing was abandoned after the second race.

For traditionalists the thought of not running the 2400m Zimbabwe Derby (GR 3), third leg of the Triple Crown, is too awful to contemplate. Unfortunately racing’s powers-that-be don’t feel the same way – these days it is all about numbers.  In 2013 and 2014 the fate of the Zim Derby hung in the balance but tradition triumphed eventually.

Thirteen runners were nominated for the 2015 event, worth US$9 000, and, thankfully, at the Final Acceptance stage eight horses stood their ground. None of the three-year-olds  cantering down to the start at Borrowdale Park on Sunday are  making a bid for the Triple Crown, but the field includes Merhaba, winner of the Bloodstock South Africa 2000, second leg of the Zimbabwe Triple Crown.  Mica Point and Tallie Two, second and third to Merhaba that day, have also picked up the gauntlet.

Merhaba, with his Bloodstock win behind him, is obviously the horse the rest have to beat, and Gokhan Terzi has also entered River Waltz, a winner over 2000m on March 22. He expects both these horses to be competitive on Sunday.  Stable jockey Apprentice Wesley Marwing once again has the ride on Merhaba and Gokhan says, “This horse keeps on improving and has been waiting for this 2400m distance.  We aimed the Derby for Merhaba about six months ago and so far everything has come to plan.  I am hoping he will win on Sunday.”

River Waltz shed his maiden certificate over 2000m last time out, beating Jannie Blignaut’s runner, Spanish Matador, by two lengths. Terzi says River Waltz has “also been crying out for more distance”.  He believes this colt, by The Sheik, is also improving and “deserves a place chance on Sunday.” Chase Maujean will be in the irons.

Bridget Stidolph’s charge, Mica Point, surprised me when keeping up with the field and finishing a fairly close second to Merhaba in the Bloodstock 2000.  This time I am certainly not going to suggest he won’t see out the Derby trip.  Bridget, ever cautious, says, “ He has a good draw, and has been working well.  Never been 2400m yet but seemed to cope with the 2000m last time.”
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