Members of the ZimFun Racing Club (nominee CJ Smith) came out in force at Borrowdale Park on Sunday to watch their new acquisition, Var Aglow, win the 1200m Classified Stakes by 1.25 lengths.
He was followed by Red Top (Nyamagwete), Regulate (Klink) and Kallipos (Penny).
Now trained by Debra Swanson, and with Jeffery Syster in the irons, Var Aglow has now won 4 races. He was previously trained by Gokhan Terzi, had not raced for 550 days, and was bred by Vanessa Harrison.
Congratulations everyone.
If you would like to join in the fun ZimFun would like to hear from you.
Brianna won the 1450m Zimbabwe Challenge for trainer Gavin Macleod, and his daughter, Robyn Macleod, at Borrowdale Park on Sunday.
Once again Morgen Nyamagwete was in the irons and the consistent six-year-old mare, by Legislate, is now a 9-time winner. Winning margins were 1 length, 0.25 length and 1.50 lengths and placings went to Tradition, Wantage and Jet Mirage.
Congratulations to the Macleods, and to Collins Stud Farm, the winning breeders.
1200m Borrowdale Sprint 5 November 2023. Jet Mirage (58.5) then Jubilee (56.5) and Brianna (60kgs).
Racing is not really about the money – it’s a mind game – but serious punters won’t agree with that sweeping statement.
So, this is directed at those who race for fun. I will share how I assess a race most of the time – which will horrify some people.
It’s best to start with a cursory glance at the Weights & Draws when some horses will grab your attention, but at this stage leave it at that – maybe just brood a bit when you have nothing better to do. The horses you initially fancy may not race, bearing in mind dual nominations and so forth.
This is what happened with the Borrowdale Park main race this Sunday, the 1450m Zimbabwe Challenge. Five runners caught my eye, but when the Final Field was published only two of those – Jet Mirage and Brianna – had stood their ground. The next step was to check out the form of all the runners, but I still fancied Jet Mirage and Brianna, with the former maybe having the edge.
The 1450m trip is a tricky one – mid-way between a sprint and a mile – and most of Jet Mirage’s wins have been over 1200m, but he finished a close second to Holy Land in the 1600m Sunshine Cup in October. He has also finished in front of Brianna in his last two starts.
However, Brianna is a proven sprinter, and her last start was in the 1600m Champion Fillies Stakes where she beat Zavannahgold (who was receiving 10 kgs) by a length.
Back to the drawing board and a closer look at Jet Mirage’s last two starts.
On the 5th of November Debra Swanson’s charge, with Syster up, won the 1200m Borrowdale Sprint, and Brianna (Nyamagwete) ran third, two lengths off Jet Mirage who was receiving 1.5 kgs.
Brianna, trained by Gavin Macleod, finished three parts of a length off Jet Mirage in the 1200m Gold Cup Sprint (Gr3) on the 2nd of December and that day the winner received 3.5 kgs from Brianna.
When Jet Mirage and Brianna meet up on Sunday Jet Mirage, for the first time, will be giving Brianna 3kgs which is a significant turnaround in weights.
I haven’t mentioned the remaining two runners – Wantage and Tradition – which doesn’t mean they are without a chance. Both have weight on their side and who knows what the going will be like on Sunday. Harare’s weather, right now, is unpredictable, to put it mildly.
Fortunately, we have a few more days to get our minds around all that.
Photographs by Zimbabwe Equine News.
1200m Gold Cup (Gr3) 2 December 2023. Jet Mirage (57), then Brianna (60.5) and Jubilee (53.5).
Stidolph Racing was on the ball at Borrowdale on Sunday – winning the second and third races on the card, and both horses with Jarryd Penny up.
Tradition (above), owned by his trainer Bridget, and bred by Newbury Racing & Breeding Ltd, was easily victorious in the 1260m MR 80 Handicap, beating the fancied Buster Barnes. By Legislate, six-year-old Tradition has now won 6 races.
Next up was Duchess Of War (below), owned by the Gin’ll Fix It Syndicate (nominee Kirsty Stidolph). The four-year-old Twice Over (GB) filly, bred by Millstream Farm, romped away with the 1800m MR 65 Handicap. Soft going not a problem. Minor places filled by My Secret Place, stable mate Bruce’s Spirit, and Follow The Band. She has now won three races for the ‘girls’.
In addition to winning the 1900m MR 75 Handicap with Nandine, Jarryd Penny also rode two winners for Bridget Stidolph at Borrowdale Park on Sunday.
Nandine, a four-year-old Pathfork (USA) filly, has now won three in a row. She is owned by the Brumby Syndicate, nominee Grant Littleford, and Gengiz Goksel. Trained by Amy Parham and bred by Oldlands Stud, Nandine finished 1.75 lengths ahead of Cutback, who was closely followed by Tigers Eagle.
Debra Swanson’s two runners, Abayyaan (Syster) and Admiral’s Chance (Marwing), were the first two home in the 1600m MR 94 Handicap at Borrowdale Park on Sunday. Winning margin 5 lengths.
Abayyaan, by Vercingetorix and bred by Mr MK Ahmed, has now won 6 races and he is owned by Messrs P D Gorringe, S P Gorringe, V Patel & D K Ward, G M Littleford, S H Murray, P C Rugg & M W Smith.
Earlier in the afternoon Jeffery Syster, riding for Debra, won the 1200m Graduation Plate on Power Ranger.
…and Sunday’s 3200m BSA Carlton Cup was abandoned when during a downpour the four runners refused to load. The Stipendiary Board Report should make interesting reading.
It was not the best of Borrowdale Park meetings, with soft conditions underfoot. This is the first day of 2024 – and I wish you all a happy new year.
When the powers that be decided to stage the 3200m Carlton Cup at Borrowdale Park for the first time in years on New Year’s Eve, I am sure they did not anticipate Harare experiencing the wettest week for quite a while.
According to the sometimes-unreliable weather prophets, the rain will cease by Saturday. I hope they are right.
None of the four runners who have stood their ground have raced over anything approaching this distance – although Dindingwe recently covered herself with glory when winning decisively over 2700m. That day she beat Zazu by 3.50 lengths, conceding 6 kgs. On Saturday both Zazu and Regulate will receive 6 kgs from Dindingwe, while Walking Thru Time will receive 8 kgs. The possibility of a dramatic change in the going complicates things.
Although I am a Dindingwe fan, the question is can she give away dollops of weight in heavier going, and still succeed over an extra 500m? Jeffery Syster has the ride, and six-year-old Dindingwe is by Futura out of a Jallad (USA) mare.
Wes Marwing’s mount, Zazu, has finished very close to Citrusdal over 2700m, in addition to her second to stable companion Dindingwe in the 2700m Pinnacle Plate (90) on the 2nd of December. She is by Global View (USA) out of a Count Dubois (GB) mare and must be considered.
Over this trip the Ato gelding Regulate (Penny), and Walking Thru Time (Klink), a four-year-old filly by Jay Peg, are unknown quantities. Regulate is out of a Silvano (GER) mare and Walking Thru Time’s dam is by Giant’s Causeway (USA) so the breeding is there. Have they been waiting to go further to really shine?
The first race on Sunday is off at 12 noon, and the BSA Carlton Cup, last on the six-race card, at 14:55.
The next Borrowdale Park race meeting is on Sunday, 31st December 2023, and the Weights & Draws have been published. The feature race is the 3200m Carlton Cup – which has not been run for many years.
Thank you to everyone who has visited this site in 2023 – your support is appreciated – and I wish you a peaceful and happy Christmas, while gearing up for the New Year.
Gavin Macleod was busy yesterday.He had horses to saddle at Borrowdale Park – four in fact – and went on to win three of the six races on the card, including the Flashing Numbers Champion Fillies Stakes with Brianna, and a close second with Il Combattente in the first race.
Afterwards, he compiled this collage of photographs taken during the afternoon. How cool is that?
Congratulations Gavin – and to the owner of these runners, Robyn Macleod! Morgen Nyamagwete was in the irons.
Captive Moon won the 1600m Novice Plate and Raining Again scored in the 1100m MR 85 Handicap. Finally, the cherry on top was Brianna winning the Flashing Numbers Champion Fillies Stakes, sponsored by Axia in honour of the late John Koumides.
The Borrowdale Park race meeting on Saturday, 16 December, celebrated the life of its loyal patron, John Koumides, but with poignant moments.
JK’s family – his mother, Mrs Eleni Koumides, sister Jenny, and brother Kyrie – were honoured guests, and his beloved horse, What A Dandy, galloped past the stands, with groom Lovemore Katiya riding. The last time these famous colours would be seen at Borrowdale.
John Koumides will always be remembered, and he is already missed.
Racing at Borrowdale Park in Harare - Zimbabwe 