The Zimbabwe Derby (Gr3) run over 2400m is the ultimate stamina test for our three-year-olds and, if the unseasonal weather we have experienced during the last two days continues, it will definitely be that.

None of the runners have raced beyond 2000m but in most cases the breeding is there, and Regulate, Cutback and Tigers Eagle will each have supporters.

Hopefully, the sun will return soon so that by Sunday all the runners can put their best hooves forward.

The acceptors for the Zimbabwe Derby are listed below.

No Apprentice Allowance

1 (4) REGULATE (3G) 58.0 (MR75) (Ato – Dictate by Silvano (GER)) – T Gould – Bridget Stidolph. Ran second to Call The Wind in the Zimbabwe Guineas and to Cutback in the Zimbabwe 2000. Placed in four of his five starts and a winner over 1100m. Interesting runner.

2 (1) MASTER MING (3C) 58.0 (MR48) (Toreador (IRE) – Madame Ming by Overlord (AUS)) – K Derere – Thomas Mason. A winner of his first start over 1000m in February and the front runner in the Zimbabwe 2000 but ran out of steam. Best performance around the turn was in the 1600m Tote Free in December when 9 lengths off Tigers Eagle.

3 (5) CUTBACK (3F) 54.5 (MR73) (Twice Over (GB) – Suedette by Dynasty) – D Schwarz – Thomas Mason. Winner of the 1600m Guineas Trial and the Zimbabwe 2000 (Gr3). Has form.

4 (2) TIGERS EAGLE (3F) 54.5 (MR67) (Flying The Flag (IRE) – Neck Of The Woods by Al Mufti (USA)) – R Satombo – Debra Swanson. Winner of the 1600m Tote Free Handicap beating stablemate Days Gone By by two lengths. Well placed in the Silver Slipper and the Zimbabwe 2000 and certainly one to consider here.

5 (6) MIDFIELD GIRL (3F) 54.5 (MR62) (Alado (GB) – Midfield Scortcher by Sportsworld (USA)) – J Penny -Bridget Stidolph. Won 1900m Maiden Plate on 3 April. This will be her third race in Zimbabwe, and she was well beaten by Call The Wind and Tigers Eagle in the 1800m Silver Slipper (L) on March 20. The going was soft that day. A bit of a mystery.

6 (3) DAYS GONE BY (3F) 54.5 (MR55) (Byword (GB) – Rememberance by Fort Wood (USA) * W Shumba -Debra Swanson. Shed maiden certificate over 1800m in December. Has been held by Cutback and Tigers Eagle before but I continue to expect Days Gone By to do better.

Photographs By Zimbabwe Equine News.

Most winners at Borrowdale Park on April 13 went up in the Merit Ratings.

Albar Warning, who won the first race, a 1000m Maiden Plate, will now race off 50. Assume (1000m Novice Plate) has been raised from 55 MRs to 59.

Oden (1100m Middle Stakes) from 75 to 80 and Enrapture (1600m MR 65 Handicap) from 73 to 78.

Kursk won the 1800m MR 64 Handicap – previously on 64 and now 68. Tulip Way (1600m Classified Stakes) remains on 77 MRs.

What A Dandy, winner of the 2023 Independence Trophy is now on 105 – he was previously rated 101.

Photograph Zimbabwe Equine News. Kursk (K Matsunyane) and Centre Stage (*W Shumba).

Sometimes the pictures tell the story.

What A Dandy won the 2022 Independence trophy at Borrowdale Park on Wednesday. Very well done trainer Debra Swanson, jockey Rodgers Satombo, owner John Koumides, and everyone else involved.

Photographs by Zimbabwe Equine News.

Debra Swanson saddled the first two past the post in the 2022 Independence Trophy at Borrowdale Park run over 1600m this afternoon. What A Dandy (Satombo) played catch me if you can and they could not. Bugatti Blue was second and then came True Beauty and Finchatton.

What A Dandy by Just As Well (USA), is owned by John Koumides and bred by Barton Hall Stud. He is now a 14-time winner.

Unfortunately, the start was delayed considerably and Yarraman was withdrawn by the starter. I will wait for the Stipendiary Board Report about that.

Congratulations to all the winning connections.

Photograph Zimbabwe Equine News

By now everyone should know there is racing at Borrowdale Park today (Wednesday), and the first race is off at 12 20.

The feature is the 2022 Independence Trophy scheduled for 15 48 – and if you can’t make it to the course the races will be on DSTV Channel 240. If the Live Stream is available on ClockingTheGallop (U-Tube) I will post a link on this site. Tips, Card Changes etc will be posted as usual.

Have a great day.

We are racing at Borrowdale Park on Wednesday and the feature is the 2022 Independence Trophy. There are nine acceptors and deciding who is most likely to succeed is extremely difficult – I think.

Holy Land won this 1600m event in 2020, carrying 54 kgs, but on Wednesday will heft 60 kgs while Finchatton, who headed Holy Land in the 2022 Ipi Tombe Stakes, also over 1600m, will be receiving 6 kgs from Holy Land on Wednesday. They met at level weights in the Ipi Tombe.

Claiming Apprentice Munashe Josi rides Finchatton and the more experienced Kabelo Matsunyane will be on Holy Land. However, * Josi has ridden Finchatton before when second to Fareeq over 1260m.

What A Dandy and Captain Of Tortuga, both carrying 60 kgs, ran third and fourth in the 2022 Ipi Tombe Stakes. This time they meet Holy Land on much better terms but will give weight to Finchatton.

On paper it seems Finchatton looks home and dry and I am going to stick my neck out and say that Yarraman, Bugatti Blue and Mr Greenlight will also find him hard to beat, although Yarraman will only carry 52,5 kgs when *Shumba has claimed.

But what about Lily Blue and True Beauty? Both girls are set to carry 53 kgs and have won well recently.

True Beauty moves up in class here, but Lily Blue recently scored in the Changa Champions Breeders Cup over 2000m and Bugatti Blue, Yarraman and Finchatton finished well behind her. Finchatton will probably prefer Wednesday’s shorter trip, but Lily Blue has won 12 races from 1200m to 2400m, and it is hard to ignore that.

The first race on Wednesday is off at 12 20 and the Independence Trophy is at 15 48.

Photographs By Zimbabwe Equine News

Apprentice Munashe Josi teamed up with Armstrong in the 1600m MR 85 Handicap at Borrowdale Park on Sunday and every post was a winning one. Heir Line had to settle for second place, half a length back.

Trained by Vanessa Birketoft, Armstrong is owned by Messrs G Goksel, A P Nydam & F Vahab, and the Var (USA) gelding was bred by Aarde Stud.

Congratulations to the winning connections. This was the six-year-old’s seventh victory.

Photograph by Zimbabwe Equine News

Tulip Way won the 1500m MR 75 Handicap at Borrowdale Park on Sunday, with Tradition close behind her.

By Captain Al, Tulip Way is trained by Debra Swanson and owned by Messrs P D Gorringe, S P Gorringe, V Patel, D K Ward and G Carter. Teaque Gould was riding and the five-year-old mare was bred by Klavervlei Stud.

Well done everyone.

Photograph by Zimbabwe Equine News.

Cutback and Regulate, first and second respectively in the Zimbabwe 2000 at Borrowdale on Sunday, both rose in the ratings. Cutback was raised by 6 to 73, while Regulate gained 3 points and now has an MR of 75.
UP
Bruce’s Spirit +12 (58); Karavani +1 (65); Differentiate +1 (61); Tradition +1 (76); Tulip Way +3 (77); Enrapture +5 (73); Emerald Floe +4 (81); Armstrong +2 (90).
DOWN
Apache Gold -3 (57); Cosmic Rush – 10 (38); Midfield Girl -2 (62); Queen Of Dallas – 5 (49); Peaceable -2 (65); Mackelroy – 1 (70); Magnus Maximus – 4 (71); Citrusdal – 1 (81); Jubilee – 1 (80); Three To Tango – 3 (78); At The Office – 4 (69).

Photograph by Jenny Stock

Gokhan Terzi’s Glenwood Racing also sent out two winners at Borrowdale Park on Sunday – Differentiate with Apprentice Munashe Josi in the irons, and Enrapture piloted by Kevin Derere.

Differentiate, owned by the Brumby Syndicate (nominee Grant Littleford), is a five-year-old Eightfold Path (USA) mare, bred by Scott Brothers, and she has now won four races. This was a tight finish involving Ian’s Ferrari and the apprentice did well in this 1800m Graduation Plate.

Enrapture, on the other hand, won the 1260m Classified Stakes by an impressive four lengths. By Querari (GER) and also a five-year-old, Enrapture was bred by Riethuiskraal Stud and she has now won 4 and been placed 16 times from 24 starts. Her owners are Messrs N & S Moodley, L T Naidoo & Mrs V Naidoo.

Congratulations to all the winning connections.

Photographs by Zimbabwe Equine News

Bridget Stidolph, who heads the list of Borrowdale Park’s current Trainer Statistics, saddled two winners on Sunday.

Midfield Girl, with Teaque Gould up, won the 1900m Maiden Plate for Messrs RS Dyer, SN Buchan, N Evans, MK Chant, G de Jong, A Dixon, R Morgan, R Sherwood and Bryn Ressell.

By Alado (GB) and bred by Alado Project (nominee David Allan), Midfield Girl was having her second outing in Zimbabwe and beat stablemate Bruce’s Spirit by 2,50 lengths.

Later, Emerald Floe with Jarryd Penny riding triumphed in the 1100m MR 85 Handicap. Owned by Rosemary Dorward, Emerald Floe, by Oratoria (IRE), has now won five races and she was bred by Wilgerbosdrift and Mauritzfontein.

Congratulations to all the winning connections.

Photographs by Zimbabwe Equine News.

Well, that was super exciting. Thomas Mason’s gutsy charge, Cutback, won the Zimbabwe 2000 (Gr3) under a brilliantly timed ride by Jarryd Penny at Borrowdale Park on Sunday afternoon.

The daughter of Twice Over (GB) was followed across the line by Regulate, then Tigers Eagle, and front runner Master Ming was fourth. Cutback is owned by Scott Buchan and Neil Evans, and she was bred by Mr LMF Wernars.

Congratulations to the winning connections. Cutback has now won three races and been placed 6 times from 9 runs.

Photographs by Zimbabwe Equine News