Love The View settling in at Borrowdale, Zimbabwe.
10 LOVE THE VIEW – 2022 TANKARD RUNNER
10 Drawn 8 52.0 4-year-old gelding
Owner: Mr C J Danckwerts and Mrs Laura de Haast
Breeder: Ascot Stud (Pty) Ltd – Trainer: Thomas Mason
Breeding: Global View (USA) – I Love Her (IRE) by Sadler’s Wells (USA)
Recent arrival Love The View had to race at Borrowdale on April 24 in order to be in the Castle Tankard and Thomas Mason said “running on for second showed he had taken his trip from Durban via Johannesburg well.”
Only Him won that 1200m Allowance Plate in heavy going, and Love The View, with Apprentice Walter Shumba on board, was receiving 5 kgs. As far as local fans go, the Global View (USA) gelding is an unknown quantity and one must wonder when, and if, the effect of a change of altitude is going to click in.
Previously trained by Carl Hewitson, Love The View won three races in KZN from 1400m to 1750m and was 2.40 lengths off the winner, Donald McDonald, over the Greyville 1900m in October. He will carry 52kgs in the Tankard, has a reasonable draw, and Ashton Arries rides.
Love The View was at 5/1 when the Tankard betting opened and whatever the outcome let’s hope this grandson of the late, great, Galileo, enjoys the day.
Breeder: Bosworth Farm Stud – Trainer: Thomas Mason
Breeding: Skitt Skizzle – Beautiful Jo by Silvano (GER)
Colours: Red, red and black checked sash and sleeves, red cap, black peak
Four-year-old True Beauty faces the toughest test of her career but always gives her best. Her five wins include the 1200m Jacaranda Free Handicap and the 1600m Tote Free, and she was a close second to Dindingwe in the 2021 Zimbabwe Guineas (Gr3).
True Beauty has been in Thomas Mason’s yard since December and has won twice, over 1600m and 1700m. Only Him ran half a length behind her in the 1700m Middle Stakes on March 6 when True Beauty was in receipt of 3 kgs.
It is always interesting when younger up-and-coming horses take on their proven elders in a big race. True Beauty seems to be maturing well but it is hard to assess how she will handle the longer trip – however, she is out of a Silvano mare. When betting opened she was 9/2.
Breeding: Traffic Guard (USA) – Vintage Event by Braashee (GB)
Colours: Orange, black maltese cross, white cap
Jackie Cocksedge is a member of the Centaur Syndicate so who better to ask for a few pointers about their Castle Tankard runner?
She said: “Bugatti Blue was originally named Oldsmobile. He is by far the most successful progeny of the very disappointing sire, Traffic Guard (USA).
“He was spotted by the eagle-eyed trainer, Kirk Swanson, on the Ready To Run Sales, from the videos they produce of the gallops. Centaur Syndicate were looking for a horse, and we chose him from a selection of three, and we changed his name.
“As a three-year-old Bugatti Blue ran fourth to Knuckleball in the middle leg of the Triple Crown over 2000mm and in the Zimbabwe Derby over 2400m. He does not sprint and seems to prefer a bit of give in the going. He likes to run from the front as he doesn’t really have a turn of foot in a finish.
“He has now won 8 races for the Centaur Syndicate and been placed in 42 starts. He is as honest as the day is long and has been a wonderful horse to own. Not bad for an R11 000 purchase.”
Thank you, Jackie. I will only add that Bugatti Blue opened at 14/1 in the betting, and I would not leave him out of a larger quartet. Have a close look at his last three starts – two over 2000m and the last over 1600m – and who else ran there. It is interesting reading.
Breeder: Hemel ‘N Aarde Stud – Trainer: V Birketoft
Breeding: Var (USA) – Walkingonthemoon (AUS) by Galileo (IRE)
Colours: Black, purple crossed sashes, black sleeves, purple cap
Armstrong (opening betting 12/1) won his first race over the Turffontain 1400m in December 2018 when trained by Mike de Kock. His second success came at Borrowdale over 1200m in November 2019 when in the Gokhan Terzi yard.
Altogether Armstrong has won seven races from 1200 to 1600m and he has yet to try the 2000m trip. He ran 3.10 lengths off Yarraman in the 1800m National Foods Cup in 2020, both carrying 56 kgs. Mr Greenlight, Wantage and Three to Tango finished in front of Armstrong and Holy Land was behind.
His next bid over 1800m was in the 2021 OK Grand Challenge (Gr2) and again he finished midfield. There were 17 runners – some of whom he will meet on May 7 – so midfield wasn’t too bad.
Without question, to date, Armstrong has performed best up to 1600m. His last start over this distance was in an MR 88 Handicap on April 3 which he won with claiming apprentice Munashe Josi on board – Heir Line was a close second and Three To Tango further back.
How will Armstrong fare in the big one – drawn well and with a reasonable galloping weight? Only time will tell.
Owner: Messrs R S Dyer, S N Buchan, N Evans, M K Chant, G de Jong, A Dixon, R Morgan, R Sherwood & Bryn Ressell
Breeder: Newbury Racing & Breeding Ltd Trainer: Bridget Stidolph
Breeding: Ato – Angora by Tamburlaine (IRE)
Colours: White and orange checked diamonds, white sleeves, orange cap
I respect Wantage, listed at 14/1 in the opening betting.
As a three-year-old he had his illustrious stable companion, Lily Blue, to contend with. He won the 1600m Tote Free Handicap and the Guineas Trial over the same distance, and the Zimbabwe 2000 (Gr3), while coming second to Lily Blue in the Zimbabwe Guineas and the Zimbabwe Derby.
Both horses had their first outing in a 1200m Maiden Plate in April 2019 and Wantage beat Lily Blue by two lengths. If he had known what was to come, he would have savoured that moment but, that said, Wantage has been consistent and also won another four races from 1600m to 2000m, vanquishing several of this year’s Castle Tankard runners in the process.
In the 2021 Pioneers & Heroes Tankard Wantage ran second, five lengths behind Dindingwe. He was ridden by claiming apprentice Walter Shumba that day so was well off in the weights but still.
Wantage’s most recent victory came in the 1700m Middle Stakes on January 9 in yielding going. Only Him was a quarter of a length behind at level weights, while 2022 Tankard runners Heir Line, True Beauty, Armstrong and Bugatti Blue were further back.
Admittedly Wantage has run below par in his last three starts, but on his day he can pull out all the stops. Think about him.
Photograph by Zimbabwe Equine News. After a change of ownership Wantage is running in new colours and so the choice of pics was limited.
Breeding: Mambo In Seattle (USA) – Only Emily by Captain Al
Colours: Cerise, navy blue chevron and sleeves, cerise cap
When the betting opened this week Only Him was at 3/1 and Finchatton 33/10 so, if one wants to split hairs, Only Him was favourite.
By Mambo In Seattle (USA), Bridget Stidolph’s charge has won four of his 9 Borrowdale starts from 1200m to 2400m, including the 2021 Zimbabwe Derby (Gr3), and when he hasn’t won Only Him has usually been in close contention. Before that he raced three times in Gauteng in the Alec Laird yard and won over 1400m.
For the big race on Saturday, May 7th, Only Him is drawn well and weight-wise will meet some of his former rivals on slightly better terms – but not all. For instance, his stablemate Wantage will be receiving 1.5 kgs and he has sometimes had the upper hand at level weights. Both are distance suited, so too the other runners from the Stidolph yard – Lily Blue and Citrusdal.
Only Him’s last start was on April 24 over 1200m – a trip he has never tried before, and he finished clear of recent arrival Love The View who would also have preferred further. It wasn’t much of a race and I didn’t expect either to shine, but class will out.
Come the day other factors will come into play such as race tactics, and a little bit of luck in the running. There is time for punters to reach for their calculators and compare weights with distances and so forth. I am simply going to say that Only Him must be a big runner.
Breeding: Gimmethegreenlight (AUS) – Rakara by Rakeen (USA)
Colours: Black, purple crossed sashes, black sleeves, purple cap
Mr Greenlight won his first race in Zimbabwe in August 2020, a 1000m Graduation Plate, but prior to that had won two races at Greyville, over a mile. He won his next start for trainer Gokhan Terzi over 1600m and then three more from 1260m-1600m, for the same yard.
In 2021 Mr Greenlight ran second to Wantage in both the 1600m Ipi Tombe Stakes (L) and the 2000m Breeders Champions Cup (L) but ran disappointingly in the 1800m OK Grand Challenge (Gr3) won by Finchatton. It must have been around this time that Vanessa Birketoft obtained her full trainer’s licence, and Mr Greenlight disappointed again in the 1800m National Foods Plate won by Holy Land.
When the Tankard betting opened Mr Greenlight was 20/1 and it is difficult to see him as a serious contender over the Tankard distance. He has won 7 races from 1000m to 1600m so appears to prefer a shorter trip.
However, his best performance over further was when second to Wantage in the 2021 Breeders Champions Cup on April 4, 2021. Mr Greenlight finished 3 lengths behind the winner to whom he was conceding 2 kgs – so I may be wrong.
Owner: Messrs G Goksel, G Carter, D T Machingaidze and Mesdames P J Lewis, C M de Jong, and S Ziehl
Breeder: Wilgerbosdrift & Mauritzfontein – Trainer: V Birketoft
Breeding: Ideal World (USA) – Lalibela by Silvano (GER)
Colours: Black, purple crossed sashes, black sleeves, purple cap
Vanessa Birketoft fields three runners in the Castle Tankard and when the betting opened Holy Land was quoted at 5/1.
Originally trained by Dennis Drier, Holy Land campaigned extensively in KZN and Gauteng, and won a 1600 Maiden Plate at Greyville in September 2018. His next victory was at Borrowdale Park in June 2020 when trained by Thomas Mason, Holy Land won the 1600m Independence Trophy. After joining the Terzi yard, the son of Ideal World won two over 1500m and 1600m.
Holy Land, now trained by Vanesa Birketoft, won his next three starts in October and November 2021, and these included the 1800m National Foods Plate and the 1450m Zimbabwe Challenge. Kabelo Matsunyane, was riding. In the National Foods Plate 2022 Tankard hopefuls Wantage, Finchatton, Mr Greenlight and Three To Tango were further back.
In his last three starts, Holy Land was a length behind Dindingwe in a Pinnacle Plate 100, conceding 3 kgs to the winner and beating Wantage, Armstrong, Heir Line and Three To Tango; he was a close second to Finchatton in the 1600m Ipi Tombe Stakes, at level weights, and finally, fifth in the 1600m Independence Trophy on April 13 when he carried top weight in yielding going.
Holy Land is undoubtedly a horse with ability. I have slight doubts about the Tankard distance but for the progeny of Ideal World (USA) this should not be a concern.
Owner: Ms Robyn Macleod & Gin’ll Fix It Syndicate (Nom: Miss K Stidolph) – Breeder:Mr G J Armitage – Trainer: Bridget Stidolph
Breeding: Black Minnaloushe (USA) – Mammy Blue (ZIM) by Kitalpha (USA)
Colours: Pink, pink sleeves, turquoise armbands and cap
Half the crowd at Borrowdale Park could well be screaming for Lily Blue on Castle Tankard Day – and if she is in with a shout turning into the home straight, I will be screaming with them.
However, it is a tough ask. Joint top weight with Finchatton and not the best of draws., but if Lily Blue and jockey Jarryd Penny prove me wrong, I will be delighted. This gallant mare has won 12 races and was quoted at 4/1 when betting opened.
Lily Blue won the Champion Juvenile Stakes, and as a three-year-old was formidable, winning 7 races in succession including the Breeders Fillies Mile (L), and the ZNA Charity Champion Fillies Stakes before collecting the Triple Tiara (Fillies Classic, the Silver Slipper and the Zimbabwe Oaks) and two legs of the Zimbabwe Triple Crown (the Zimbabwe Guineas and the Zimbabwe Derby). When it comes to the 2000m Castle Tankard this girl is distance suited.
She campaigned in Gauteng winning two races for fillies and mares over 1800m before returning to Zimbabwe to contest the Champion Fillies Stakes in November 2021. This 1600m event was won by Seven Seas and Lily Blue was two lengths back, conceding 6 kgs to the winner. Her next outing was on March 20 when she won the 2000m Breeders Champion Cup (L) and Heir Line, Bugatti Blue, Finchatton and Wantage were behind her.
Lily Blue’s last start was in the 1600m Independence Trophy on April 13 where she finished a disappointing 9 lengths back and all of Bugatti Blue, True Beauty, Finchatton, Holy Land and Mr Greenlight did better, but I am prepared to draw a line through that. The going was yielding then and if Lily Blue wasn’t ready for the Tankard her connections wouldn’t dream of running her.
Owner: Mr G Goksel – Breeder: Wilgerbosdrift -Trainer: Gokhan Terzi
Breeding: Right Approach (GB) – Rose Lipped Maiden by Fort Wood (USA)
Colours: Black, purple crossed sashes, black sleeves, purple cap
Finchatton will carry 60 kgs in the 2000m Castle Tankard (Gr1) to be run at Borrowdale Park on Saturday, May 7. Diego de Gouveia will be in the irons, and he has teamed up successfully with Finchatton before.
Finchatton’s six victories from 1400m to 2000m include the 2021 OK Grand Challenge (Gr2) over 1800m, and the 1600m Ipi Tombe Stakes (L) in February. In the 2021 Tankard, which is over 2000m, Finchatton ran fourth to Dindingwe who was receiving 3.5 kgs, but he won over the distance at the Vaal in January 2020 – and De Gouveia was riding that day.
On March 3 Finchatton finished 11.25 lengths off Lily Blue in the 200Om Breeders Champions Cup, in soft going while conceding 4.5 kgs to the winner. Heir Line and Bugatti Blue were ahead of Finchatton, while Wantage was close behind him – all receiving weight from Gokhan Terzi’s charge.
In his last outing Finchatton was fourth in the 1600m Independence Trophy won by What A Dandy. Bugatti Blue and True Beauty were placed second and third, with weight on their side, and Holy Land, Mr Greenlight and Lily Blue were further back. The going was yielding.
Finchatton is a worthy contender and was 33/10 when the 2022 Tankard betting opened on Monday. Lily Blue, who will also carry 60 kgs, was at 4/1. This is beginning to look like a pretty open race, and good going would be helpful.
The Castle Tankard – Zimbabwe’s biggest and best racing event inaugurated in 1960 – returns to Borrowdale Park on Saturday, May 7, andFinal Acceptorswere announcedat a function today.
When the stakes are high more people than usual think about having a flutter, and ‘Nick In Newmarket’, writing in an International Racing Club newsletter, recently gave good advice for first-time punters:
“There are no hard and fast rules for betting on racing. Everyone’s got their own system. Some take hours studying form and analysing times. Others follow stable form, wait for horses to start running well and then strike while the iron is hot. Your casual racegoer often goes on names, recognised jockeys, and the fashionistas seem to pick on the design of the silks. Each to their own.
“But if I was to offer advice to anyone new to the game it would be this. Don’t believe everything you hear. Find a few trusted sources and stick to those. If you believed every person attached to a yard, you’d be heading for the poor house very quickly.
“There are exceptions to this. For example, when something is absolutely scorching up the Al Bahathri usually in the John Gosden or William Haggas string, and there are plenty of witnesses who can back up the version of events. But on the whole, I’ve learnt very quickly that most of the time there’s no such thing as a certainty.
“I failed to heed my own advice yesterday when I received a text message, totally out of the blue with three horses. All at Doncaster. Given the random nature of the text I opted to lay out a small amount of my SkyBet account to test the waters and see how this source went. A small investment on a treble for the afternoon.
“Bang. The first one went in. Bang. The second one got home. By a nose. But the number was in the frame. Suddenly the cash out became appealing but what the hell. Let it ride. A small outlay for a 14/1 return seemed appealing. And besides, the random nature of the text message suggested that someone knew something.
“It came down to the final leg. A two-mile contest at Doncaster in the spring sunshine. The field set off and in the early part things were looking OK. The tipped horse smuggled into the race having opted to bide its time near the rear. And then came the moment that the realisation hit. Never listen to unsolicited advice.
“The horse foundered four furlongs from home and hit a massive flat spot. That’s it. The fun was over. But then as the front runners grew weary after the stamina sapping contest, suddenly the tip was bearing down on them, the leader crying for the line. The fancy making ground but leaving it late. The line came. Too late! Second. The losing margin was a head. Almost.
“Enough to suggest that perhaps I give the source one more try.”
Borrowdale Park is a far cry from Newmarket in England where residents are constantly exposed to all that is happening in their racing world. However, in our small way, we do have tipsters and those who believe in racing certainties, so I will only add…
Take a bet when you get the urge but NEVER put on more than you can afford to lose. Racing is supposed to be fun so let’s keep it that way – and carry on smiling.
Photograph by Andrew Philip. FLASHBACK TO 2018 when 66/1 shot Roman Discent (Thackeray) won the Castle Tankard, beating Simona (SP 20/1) by a whisker, and then came Kilrain (13/10) and Mathematician (18/1). The winning owners were beside themselves with glee but some, in saner moments, admitted to being slightly surprised. Actually, it was a great day and a fantastic race – regardless.
Catch up with the 2022 Castle Tankard Acceptors and Opening Betting on this site on:
The first race at Borrowdale Park tomorrow (Sunday, April 24) is off at 12 25 and the feature, the Zimbabwe Derby, third leg of the Triple Crown, is at 15 54.
The meeting can be viewed on DSTV Channel 240 – and the Borrowdale Park Livestream will be on Clocking The Gallop on UTube.
Tips, Final Fields, Online Card, Card Changes appear on this site.
Photograph by Gavin Macleod: The 2020 Zimbabwe Derby was won by Lily Blue -Morgan Nyamagwete was riding and was trained by Bridget Stidolph. Then came Wantage, Zambezi Rapids and Seattle Frost.
Racing at Borrowdale Park in Harare - Zimbabwe 