Fortunately I have never had illusions about being a tipster – how could any semi-sane person believe they can accurately predict the outcome of a race? Sometimes one might strike it lucky – more by luck than good judgement – and this makes life interesting.

Unfortunately I have spent more time than usual studying Sunday’s Borrowdale Park card, so am now totally confused but continue to live in hopes of winning a decent Quartet.

The main race on Sunday is the 2000m Breeders Champion Cup (L) which has attracted a smallish but star-studded field. It includes a Castle Tankard winner, the winner of the 2018 Zimbabwe 2000 and the Zimbabwe Derby, as well as the Republic Cup winner, the recent Ipi Tombe Stakes winner, and Simona, who won the OK Grand Challenge and who keeps on winning most of the time.

I didn’t expect Simona to triumph in the recent Ipi Tombe Stakes but wouldn’t be surprised to see her back in the Number One box here. All of Knuckleball, Heir Line, Peggson and Amsterdam could upset this applecart – and give some thought to Pampas who has won four on the trot since moving to Harare.

This six-year-old Silvano (GER) gelding should be distance suited on Sunday and although stepping up in class might give some cheek.

Once one starts delving into weights, distances and previous form (we do have some in and out runners) most of Sunday’s racing appears tricky.

Perhaps the most difficult race on the card is the fifth – a 1600m MR 50 Handicap – where I am thinking about Wee Doch ‘n Dorris, Rebellious Queen, Crown Brewed and Supa Memories for a Quartet. But how can one leave out Baumgartner, and so on and so forth. Am I completely mad? There are 9 runners in this race.

It is a fairly late start for Borrowdale on Sunday with the first race due off at 12 45 pm. The Breeders Champion Cup takes place at 15 40.

Photograph by Andrew Philip

BUTCHIE BOY MAIDEN PLATE 1000m
Clash City Rocker 3 b g by Seventh Rock (AUS) (H Greyling) 60 kgs 17/10
TRAINED BY: Penny Fisher. OWNED BY: Messrs G Goksel & D W Rosser.

PACIFICA MERIT RATED 68 HANDICAP 1450m
Kilowatt Kid 4 b g by Kildonan (C Habib) 59.5 kgs 5/1
TRAINED BY: Bridget Stidolph. OWNED BY: Messrs S W Shutt, K Hatendi, Duncan Jones, H D Parbhoo, D C Samuels, C M Rambo, S N Buchan & N Evans.

FLASHER ON THE RUN MERIT RATED 48 HANDICAP 1800m
Rose Diamond 4 ch f by Fencing Master (GB) (C Habib) 54.5 kgs+0.5 9/1
TRAINED BY: Penny Fisher. OWNED BY: Mr K P Fallon.

MINA SALAAM MERIT RATED 60 HANDICAP 1600m
Lute Society 5 ch g by New Approach (IRE) (C Habib) 54 kgs 61/20
TRAINED BY: Bridget Stidolph. OWNED BY: Miss B H Stidolph.

PRINT THE POUNDS PROGRESS PLATE 1600m
In The Mood 4 b f by Bold Silvano (R Danielson) 57 kgs 27/4
TRAINED BY: Kirk Swanson. OWNED BY: Mr J Koumides.

ZIMBABWE GUINEAS (GR 3) 1600m
Sygone 3 b g by Ato (C Storey) 58 kgs 113/20
TRAINED BY: Ms B Stidolph. OWNED BY: Newbury Racing (Pty) Ltd (Nom: Mr D E Evans).

MADIGAN MERIT RATED 50 HANDICAP 1260m
Lunar Dancer 4 ch f by Philanthropist (USA) (H Greyling) 60 kgs 57/20
TRAINED BY: Penny Fisher. OWNED BY: Mr G Goksel.

CONGRATULATIONS !

Sygone won the Zimbabwe Guineas (Gr3) at Borrowdale Park this afternoon by a country mile.

The son of Ato is owned by the Newbury Racing Syndicate (Pty) Ltd (nominee Denis Evans) and Collen Storey had the ride. He was bred at Maine Chance Farms (Pty) Ltd and is trained by Bridget Stidolph.

Action Jackson was second, followed by Mia Finola, who went onto the pace, and then Three To Tango. Winning margin 3.50 lengths.

Congratulations everyone.

Photograph: Zimbabwe Equine News

RACING AT BORROWDALE – AND FUN FOR THE KIDS

The first race at Borrowdale Park today is due off at 12 50 pm and the feature race is the Zimbabwe Guineas (Gr3) at 15 45.

The Borrowdale Park Fun Zone For Children didn’t get off to quite the flying start expected yesterday – thanks to a major power cut – but it will be all systems go today, with back-up arrangements.

Be there!

In terms of numbers it is a disappointing line-up for the Zimbabwe Guineas – first leg of the Borrowdale Park Triple Crown.

The Bridget Stidolph stable will be represented by five of Sunday’s seven runners but that is not to suggest the Fisher and Swanson yards are not mounting a significant challenge with their lone entries.

I am going to stick my neck out and say I believe one of the boys – Action Jackson, Three To Tango and Sygone – will grab this one. I could be wrong because Mia Finola has both class and form as well as being the most experienced three-year-old in this field.

Most of Sunday’s competitors have taken each other on before but this time they meet at set weights. Colts and geldings carry 58 kgs and the two fillies come in at 55.5 kgs. Let’s take a look at the field:

Race-6 (Turf) RTGS $ 8,000 1600m 15:45
ZIMBABWE GUINEAS (Grade 3) 15.45pm
For all 3-year-olds/ 1st leg Triple Crown
No Apprentice Allowance

1 SYGONE Draw 3 -58 kgs (MR76) C Storey…Bridget Stidolph
ATO x SKY PIRATE by VICTORY MOON – 9 starts, 2 wins, 5 places.
Winner of the 1200m Jacaranda Free Handicap, and third to Three To Tango in the 1600m Tote Free when conceding 5.5kgs.

2 ACTION JACKSON Draw 6 – 58 kgs (MR71) R Munger… Penny Fisher 
JACKSON x ACTION REPLAY by JET MASTER – 4 starts, 2 wins, 2 places.
Second to Three To Tango in the Tote Free Handicap and second to Opaque in 1600m Guineas Trial, when conceding 7 kgs. Won a 1600m Graduation Plate on February 10.

3 THREE TO TANGO Draw 7 – 58 kgs (MR71) R Danielson… Kirk Swanson
GREYS INN (USA) x DANSEUSE by JOSHUA DANCER (USA) – 4 starts, 2 wins, 2 places.
Last start on December 1 when winning the Tote Free Handicap over Sunday’s distance. Prior to that ran second to Sygone in the 1200m Jacaranda Free.

4 OPAQUE Draw 5 – 58 kgs (MR59) …………… Bridget Stidolph
ATO x ANGORA by TAMBURLAINE (IRE) – 10 starts, 2 wins, 1 place.
Unexpected winner of the Guineas Trial on January 27 when Sunday’s runners, Action Jackson and Born To Shine finished behind him – both conceding dollops of weight. Opaque has more to do here.

5 RED POLLARD Draw 1 – 58 kgs (MR51) …………… Bridget Stidolph
GITANO HERNANDO (GB) x ROSY BLUSH by JALLAD (USA) – 4 starts, 1 win, 2 places. 
Won 1600m Maiden Plate in December, beating subsequent winner Peapack. Disappointed in last start – may be the dark horse here.

6 MIA FINOLA Draw 2 – 55.5 kgs (MR81) C Habib … Bridget Stidolph
VAR (USA) x BASILICA by WOLFHOUND (USA) – 11 starts, 5 wins, 5 places.
Without doubt a filly with class and form. Winner of the Champagne Stakes, Fillies Mile and recent 1600m Fillies Classic. Second to Simona when receiving 10 kgs in the 1800m Champion Fillies Stakes in November. Has beaten Sygone over 1200m when conceding 3 kgs. Unplaced behind Three To Tango and Action Jackson in Tote Free but one can probably draw a line through that.

7 BORN TO SHINE Draw 4 – 55.5 kgs (MR70) B McNaughton… Bridget Stidolph
WINDRUSH (USA) x GLITTERING by BADGER LAND (USA) – 5 starts, 1 win, 4 places.
Won 1100m Maiden Juvenile Plate. Second to Mia Finola in the 1450m Champagne Stakes and the 1600m Fillies Classic. Placed fourth in Tote Free and Guineas Trial but although consistent has to improve to shape here.

Photo credits to Andrew Philip, Gavin Macleod and Jenny Stocks.

In addition to saddling the winner of the Ipi Tombe Stakes at Borrowdale on Sunday, the Bridget Stidolph yard sent out another three winners.

First up was the unraced three-year-old Var (USA) gelding, Gemcutter, with Brendon McNaughton on board.  He left a 1200m Maiden Plate field for dead, finishing 5.50 lengths clear of Clash City Rocker.

Gemcutter is owned by Ashley Dixon, Scott Buchan, Neil Evans, Gary Carter, Merlyn Chant, Ryan Sherwood and Paula Lewis. He was bred by Varsfontein Stud.

One for the Notebook? 

The 1200m MR 75 Handicap was won by Collen Storey’s mount, Coastal Torrent. By Great Britain (GB), the four-year-old has now won four races.  

He is owned by Messrs S H Murray, C Davenport, K. Hatendi, Duncan Jones, G M Littleford, G Martell, H D Parbhoo, C M Rambo, P C Rugg, D C Samuels and S W Shutt.  Ascot Stud (Pty) Ltd are the breeders.

It’s A True Story came right in the last race of the day, a MR 55 Handicap run over 1100m. Devin Habib was riding for Bridget and the AP Answer (USA) gelding is owned by Adrian Nydam and Amy Bronkhorst.

Bred by Clifton Stud, It’s A True Story has now won six races. Congratulations everyone.

The next Borrowdale Park race meeting is on Sunday, March 10, 2019, and features the Zimbabwe Guineas.

Solinski – Borrowdale Park’s comeback kid – won the 2400m MR 70 Handicap on Sunday afternoon carrying top weight and recording her sixth victory. 

The five-year-old daughter of Fencing Master (GB) was bred in Zimbabwe by Sarahdane Stud and made headlines as a three-year-old.  Sadly, she did not race at four because of a serious injury and was not seen on the course from 25 June, 2017, until 18 November, 2018.  Although placed in her next three starts Solinski has now made it back to the Number One box – where she ought to be.

Hearty congratulations to her connections whose patience has been rewarded!

Solinski is trained by Kirk Swanson and owned by the Dixie Chick Syndicate (nominee Miss V E Bruce), Duncan and Jackie Cocksedge, Dubbles Draper, Ursula Malan and C. John Smith. Wes Marwing was in the irons on Sunday.

The Swanson yard saddled two other winners – Supa Memories and Mill Creek.

Mill Creek, by Pathfork (USA), won the 1600m Maiden Plate – her first outing in Zimbabwe.  She was bred by Avontuur Thoroughbred Farm and is owned by Sylvia Vrska and Colin Bird. Raymond Danielson was riding. 

Danielson and Supa Memories came to the party in the 1600m MR 50 Handicap.  Well done Dave Rosser, Mark Wood and the Swansons.  This four-year-old Fencing Master (GB) gelding was bred by   Sandford Farm (Pvt) Ltd.  Sandford was owned by Selby and the late Jennifer Chance. 

Yes, Jenny.  We remember.

The four-year-old Jay Peg gelding, Peggson, bred by Hemel ‘n Aarde Stud, won the Ipi Tombe Stakes in champion style at Borrowdale Park this afternoon.

Brendon McNaughton was riding for Bridget Stidolph, and the winner is owned by Messrs A Ackhurst, G de Jong, G M Littleford, S H Murray, A P Nydam, P C Rugg, S W Shutt, S N Buchan and N Evans.

Minor places in the 1600m event went to Twilight Trip, Simona and Amsterdam.

Congratulations!

On Sunday eight of Zimbabwe’s top horses will take part in the 1600m Ipi Tombe Stakes – an annual event run in honour of Zimbabwe’s great race mare Ipi Tombe. The weight-for-age conditions of the race must be considered and looking back until 2012 this seems to favour males and, with very few exceptions, veterans.

Captain’s Tiger won the Ipi Tombe in 2012 and 2013, Madagan came to the fore in 2014, followed by Super Trouper in 2015, Principled Man in 2016, Windigo in 2017, and last year Ashton Park scored.

The 2019 field includes the highly rated five-year-old mare, Simona, who will be receiving 2,5 kgs from the rest of the runners. However, it may not be all done and dusted because females, ageing or otherwise, have not done so well here.

Entries from the distaff side during the past seven years have been light, and only Equina (second to Madagan in 2014 when Approval Rating was third) managed a place. The following year Equina did not finish in the money.

Simona, won the 1800m OK Grand Challenge in 2018 and if she has not won she has been well placed in everything worth winning recently. There have been very few hiccups, but one came in last year’s Ipi Tombe Stakes won by Ashton Park – an eight-year-old at that time. Simona (13/1) did not feature.

The 2019 contenders are listed below:

1 TWILIGHT TRIP 60 kgs Drawn 1 (MR91) D Habib – Bridget Stidolph
5-y-o g TRIPPI (USA) x LOVE IS IN THE AIR by JET MASTER
Has won 5 races and been placed 13 times from 22 starts. Won three races over 1600m at Kenilworth earlier in his career. At the last Borrowdale meeting Twilight Trip won over 1260m, and triumphed in the 1200m HRIB Gold Cup in December. In both these sprints he carried 52 kgs.

2 MASTER SWITCH 60 kgs Drawn 2 (MR88) Greyling – Penny Fisher 
7-y-o g JET MASTER x LADY WINDSOR by AL MUFTI (USA)
Won 5 times and was placed in 10 races from 31 starts. In July 2015, at the Vaal, Master Switch won his first start over 1600m but has performed best over more ground since then. The weight-for-age conditions of Sunday’s race are on his side.

3 AMSTERDAM 60 kgs Drawn 6 (MR84) Danielson – Kirk Swanson 
7-y-o g WINDRUSH (USA) x KINDLY KAT (USA) by MACHIAVELLIAN (USA)
A winner of 6 races and placed 17 times from 38 starts. Won twice over Sunday’s trip, early in his career and ran third to Ashton Park in the 2018 Ipi Tombe Stakes when Simona was further back. Certainly in with a good chance.

4 PEGGSON 60 kgs Drawn 7 (MR83) McNaughton – Bridget Stidolph
4-y-o g JAY PEG x PISTOL DAWN by TARA’S HALLS
Has won 4 races and been placed 9 times from 19 starts. A winner at Borrowdale from 1200m to 1800m and distance suited. Beat Amsterdam over 1800m in January but had some weight on his side. Both Peggson and Edward The Seventh are the “youngsters” on Sunday and it will be interesting to see how they cope.

5 EDWARD THE SEVENTH 60 kgs Drawn 5 (MR81) W Marwing – Kirk Swanson 
4-y-o g SEVENTH ROCK (AUS) x BEATRIX (ZIM) by KITALPHA (USA)
A five-time winner and placed 6 times in 14 starts. Has won from 1200m to 1600m at Borrowdale. In December he beat Twilight Tear in the 1450m Zimbabwe Challenge, when in receipt of 3 kgs. At three won the 1600m Tote Free Handicap and second to Knuckleball in the Zimbabwe Guineas. Another consistent four-year-old so let’s see.

6 PAMPAS 60 kgs Drawn 8 (MR81) Storey – Bridget Stidolph
6-y-o g SILVANO (GER) x PERU by CANDY STRIPES (USA)
Has won six races and been placed twice in 15 starts. Impressive winner of four of his five starts at Borrowdale, ranging from 1600m to 2200m. Slightly up in class in this one and it will be interesting to see how he compares with Simona. Lightly raced considering his age and very well bred.

7 KEVIN BARRY 60 kgs Drawn 3 (MR72) Munger – Penny Fisher 
5-y-o g HORSE CHESTNUT x KEVINS’ GIRL (ZIM) by SOBIESKI (USA)
Has won four races and been placed 8 times from 20 starts. Won the 1600m Tote Free Handicap as a three -year-old but has had some issues. In his last outing finished a length off Philanthropy over 1600m. Kevin Barry was conceding 6.5 kgs and may be returning to form. If this is the case watch out.

8 SIMONA 57.5 kgs Drawn 4 (MR93) C Habib – Bridget Stidolph
5-y-o m GIMMETHEGREENLIGHT (AUS) x GINGER HILL by WESTERN WINTER (USA)
Winner of 9 races and placed 9 times from 24 starts. Her record is outstanding in the best company. Simona is taking on the boys and has the credentials to win this, if any girl can. What more can be said other than “Go for it, Simona”.

The first race at Borrowdale Park on Sunday is due off at 12 35 pm. The Ipi Tombe Stakes at 15 30.

Coastal Torrent, by Great Britain (GB), was the decisive winner of the 1200m Graduation Plate on Sunday – winning margin three lengths. Sygone, White Winter and Lunar Dancer also finished in the money.

Owned by Messrs S H Murray, C Davenport, K Hatendi, Duncan Jones, G M Littleford, G Martell, H D Parbhoo, C M Rambo, P C Rugg, D C Samuels and S W Shutt, Coastal Attraction is trained by Bridget Stidolph and the four-year-old gelding was bred by Ascot Stud (Pty) Ltd. Collen Storey was in the irons.

Well done everyone.