Mia Finola, seen here winning the Fillies Mile in October, take on four rivals in the 1600m Fillies Classic at Borrowdale Park on Sunday.

The four-time winner meets this field at level weights and looks hard to beat.

Born to Shine and Miss Franklin ran in the Guineas Trial at the last meeting. Ineffable was second to Prairie Sky over 1700m on January 13, and Double Dab is a complete mystery.

This daughter of Gimmethegreenlight (AUS) ran in a 1000m Barrier Trial at Greyville in August and will race on Sunday for Penny Fisher with Ryan Munger in the irons.

On Saturday morning, February 2, some MTC and MOTA members engaged in a hole hunt on the “new” back straight – and found several. Termites don’t take holidays.

I hope both the MTC and MOTA will persist with and expand, this exercise. In my dreams I envisage at least 100 racing fans picnicking at Borrowdale Park, and getting to know more racing people while keeping up the hole hunt. There is plenty of ground to cover – and it will help to keep our racehorses and jockeys safer.

Under present circumstances, we can’t afford to do all we would like to. However, hunting for holes doesn’t cost money.

It appears it will be some time before there is racing on Borrowdale Park’s “new course”. Some problems have been identified and will be dealt with eventually.

In the meantime onward and upward – Harare has always had good reason to be proud of its racecourse.

Photograph by Gavin Macleod

R 1. COOL SOLUTION MAIDEN PLATE 1200m

Won by CROWN BREWED (B McNaughton), followed by Street Party, Blaze Of Modesty and Clash City Rocker.  The winner is owned by Messrs A Dixon, S N Buchan, N Evans, G Carter, M K Chant, R Sherwood & Mrs P J Lewis, and trained by Bridget Stidolph.  Winning Margin 0.50, 2.50 and 1.75 lengths.

R 2. MADIGAN MERIT RATED 50 HANDICAP 1200m

Won by WEE DOCH ‘N DORRIS (N Takawira) followed by Hillah The Hun, Supa Memories and Gateway Gamble. Trained by Kirk Swanson and owned by Dixie Chicks Syndicate (Nom: Miss V E Bruce) & Mr M L Wood
Winning margin 1.50, 1.50 and 0.50 lengths.

R 3.  ERNIE OR ELSE MERIT RATED 61 HANDICAP 1900m

Won by YARRAMAN (W Marwing), followed by Philanthropy, In The Mood and Finlay.  Trained by Penny Fisher and owned by Mr G. Goksel. Winning margin 3.75, 0.25 and 2.75 lengths.

R 4.  MICA POINT MERIT RATED 90 HANDICAP 1800m

Won by PEGGSON (B McNaughton), followed by Amsterdam, Penny From Heaven and Butchie Boy. Trained by Bridget Stidolph and 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 & N Evans. Winning margin 0.10, 0.75 and 1.00 lengths.

R 5. RICHIE RICH MERIT RATED 50 HANDICAP 1600m 

Won by FLASHER ON THE RUN (N Takawira), followed by Baumgartner, Prairie Sky and Rose Diamond. Trained by Kirk Swanson and owned by Mr J Koumides. Winning margin 0.10, 0.75 and 4.00 lengths.

R 6. GUINEAS TRIAL 1600m

Won by OPAQUE (B McNaughton), followed by Action Jackson, Rain Spider and Born To Shine. Trained by Bridget Stidolph and owned Newbury Racing (Pty) Ltd (Nom: Mr D E Evans). Winning margin 1.00, 1.50 and 2.00 lengths.

R 7. KNUCKLEBALL MERIT RATED 60 HANDICAP 1260m 

Won by KILOWATT KID (C Habib), followed by Ezekial, Cool Solution and Saheera. Trained by Bridget Stidolph and owned by Messrs S W Shutt, K Hatendi, Duncan Jones, H D Parboo, D C Samuels, C M Rambo, S N Buchan & N Evans. Winning margin 5.00, 0.25 and 3.00 lengths.

The next Borrowdale Park race meeting is on Sunday , 10 February, 2019, and it features the Fillies Classic.

Two Zimbabwe jockeys, Brendon McNaughton and Norbert Takawira, rode most of the winners on Sunday’s 7-race Borrowdale Park card.

Brendon had the edge, riding three winners for the Stidolph yard, while Norbert piloted two horses home for Kirk Swanson. The remaining laurels went to visiting jockeys Wes Marwing and Calvin Habib.

On February 3, 2019, Brendon McNaughton will be representing Zimbabwe in the International Jockey Challenge in Kenya. It will be a big day at Ngong racecourse, featuring the Brittam Guineas.

The three-year-old Ato gelding, Opaque, won the 1600m Guineas Trial at Borrowdale Park this afternoon.

Making the most of a light weight Opaque set the pace and held on to beat the favourite, Action Jackson. Rain Spider and Born To Shine were also placed.

The winner is trained by Bridget Stidolph and Brendon McNaughton was in the irons. He is owned by Newbury Racing (Pty) Ltd (nominee Mr D E Evans) and was bred by Summerhill Stud.

Congratulations.

Three-Year-Olds On Trial

In 2018 Knuckleball won the Guineas Trial, carrying 59.5 kgs and off a Merit Rating of 71. Although he did not win the 2018 Zimbabwe Guineas, won by Butchie Boy, he came a close second. Since then Penny Fisher’s charge has won four races, including the BSSA 2000, the Zimbabwe Derby and two 1800m handicaps in good company.

But why am I concentrating on Knuckleball when the focus is on the 2019 Guineas Trial to be run over 1600m at Borrowdale Park on Sunday?

The Guineas Trial is something of a misnomer as it is a handicap, whereas in the Zimbabwe Guineas the runners meet at set weights. When Knuckleball won the 2018 Trial, he had already won two races and he was receiving 1 kg from three-time winner, Edward The Seventh, recent winner of the Zimbabwe Challenge.

Which proves that three-year-olds with class can defy weight and still run true to form.

On Sunday six one-time winners will face the starter at 15.50 pm. The filly, Born To Shine, will carry 60 kgs, Action Jackson 59kgs, while Oden is on 57.5 kgs.

This lightly raced trio have all impressed, but it is difficult to decide whether they can give weight, and a beating, to the likes of Rain Spider and Missy Franklin who also grabbed the limelight on their day.

Let’s look at the field:

BORN TO SHINE- Drawn 6- 60kgs (MR 73) Marwing – Stidolph
3-y-o Filly by Windrush (USA) out of Badger Land (USA) mare (R:3 W:1 P:2)

Won 1100m Maiden Juvenile Plate on July 1, beating Tanganyika by 5 lengths. Finished 2.50 length behind Mia Finola in the 1450m Champagne Stakes with Missy Franklin, Rain Spider and Opaque further back. In that race fillies carried 55.5 kgs and colts and geldings 58 kgs. Last outing on December 1 in 1600m Tote Free Handicap won by Three To Tango. That day Action Jackson (52.5 kgs) came second, Born To Shine (56 kgs ran fourth) followed by Rain Spider, Opaque and Missy Franklin. The turnaround in weights on Sunday could see Born To Shine finish closer to Action Jackson this time.

ACTION JACKSON – Drawn 2 – 59 kgs (MR 71) Zechner – Fisher
3-y-o colt by Jackson out of a Jet Master mare (R:2 W:1 P:1)

This smart colt won a 1100m Maiden Plate on July 14, beating The River Green (conceding 3 kgs) by 0.25 lengths. His second, and only other outing was in the Tote Free Handicap (see above). Both these races were competitive, and Action Jackson must be in with a good chance here.

ODEN – Drawn 3 – 57.5kgs (MR68)- Penny – Fisher
3-y-o gelding by Oratorio (IRE) out of a Var (USA) mare (R:1 W:1 P:0)

Winner of his only start – a 1260m Maiden Plate on December 1. Looked impressive when beating subsequent winner, The Bar, by 6.50 lengths. It is fair to say Oden takes a step up in class on Sunday, but I suspect he will take that step comfortably.

MISSY FRANKLIN – Drawn 4 – 56kgs (MR 65) – Habib – Stidolph
3-y-o filly by Marchfield (CAN) out of a Thunder Gulch (USA) mare (R:10 W:1 P:4)

In May Missy Franklin won over 1000m, beating Pas de Deux and Mia Finola at level weights, then went off the boil, seemingly, until coming second to Mia Finola in the Fillies Mile in October when receiving 8 kgs. She ran in the Tote Free Handicap and finished last with no comforting explanation in the Stipes Report. To be frank, I have no idea what Missy Franklin might do.

RAIN SPIDER – Drawn 5 – 55kgs (MR 63) – Danielson – Stidolph
3-y-o gelding by Byword (GB) out of a Fort Wood (USA) mare (R:6 W:1 P:2)

Rain Spider won his second start, which just happened to be the 1200m Champion Juvenile Stakes. He looked all set to impress on that occasion but really hasn’t. Most of his racing has been in competitive company so don’t write him off completely.

OPAQUE – Drawn 1 – 52 kgs (MR 50) – McNaughton – Stidolph
3-y-o gelding by Ato – out of a Tamburlaine (IRE) mare (R:9 W:1 P:1)

Opaque won his first start in March, beating Missy Franklin, but has played the good sport role since then. He finished fourth in the 1200m Jacaranda Free Handicap in November, finishing in front of Rain Spider who was conceding 7.5 kgs. Rain Spider will give Opaque only 3 kgs on Sunday. However, the Ato gelding with 52 kgs on his back might still surprise.

The first race at Borrowdale Park on Sunday is due off at 13.00.

Photographs courtesy of Andrew Philip, Gavin McLeod and Zimbabwe Equine News.

The feature race, the 1100m Hachiman Sprint, Race 6, was won by Kingston Passage. Race 1: Emiliano, Race 2: Christofle, Race 3, Party In The Park, Race 4: Prairie Sky, Race 5: Designer Pot, Race 7: Adrenalina.

The Western Winter (USA) gelding, Kingston Passage, won the 1100m Hachiman Sprint at Borrowdale Park today.

Twilight Trip, Butchie Boy and Edward The Seventh were placed.

Owned by Messrs C and R Kieswetter and Ridgemont Highlands (nominee Craig Carey), Kingston Passage was bred by Wilgersbosdrift and Mauritzfontein.

The five-year-old gelding has now won four races, he is trained by Kirk Swanson and Hennie Greyling was in the irons today.

Congratulations!

The 1100m Hachiman Sprint, named to honour one of Borrowdale Park’s former champions, Hachiman, is the feature on Sunday. However, time passes, so one must wonder how many of today’s racing fans remember Hachiman?

The flashy chestnut, by Divine King(IRE) and out of Chrysanthemum (SNL), was bred in Zimbabwe by Robin Bruss. He was trained by Neil Bruss and owned by Terence Hardy.

There is no doubt Hachiman was particularly talented and the crowds loved him, but at that time Borrowdale had several strong stables, all fielding good horses, so Hachiman had to work quite hard for his money. He was able to prove himself in very competitive races – the mark of a true champion – and when he set the course alight his fans went wild. He usually won and when he did not there wasn’t much in it.

Hachiman made his name as a two-year-old, and at three showed he could hold his own over longer trips. Up the straight, he clashed with Swashbuckler (trainer George Uren), Ocean’s First and Relentless, trained by Keith Chant, and Penny Fisher’s charge, Great Dane. Even champions don’t have everything their own way. Terence Hardy longed to win the Schweppes Gold Cup with Hachiman but never managed it thanks to Relentless and Great Dane.

Of course, I remember Hachiman…he spoilt Chant fun too often to ever be forgotten…and those racing at Borrowdale Park in the eighties will also have stories to tell.

Penny Fisher recalls that when Great Dane won the Schweppes it was raining so hard that Kleintjie Badenhorst claims he weighed out 2 kgs over. Jeremy Brooks was doing the commentary – couldn’t pick up the colours at the finish and announced, “the black horse won”.

Of course, hard facts are more important than reminiscences and Jackie Cocksedge supplied the following:

“Robin Bruss imported a mare with Chrysanthemum (SNL) in utero. Chrysanthemum (SNL) was by the German sire Lombard. She had 10 foals in her lifetime including Hachiman born 1980. She was Broodmare Of The Year 1983/84.

“Hachiman got his name as follows. By Divine King (Ire) (the title attributed to the Emperor of Japan) out of Japan’s national flower the Chrysanthemum. Hachiman loosely translated means Warrior of War or God of War – something like that.

“Hachiman was Spey Bridge Champion Two Year Old in 1982 and Spey Bridge Champion Three-Year-Old in 1983. He won 15 races including TBA Sales Stakes, Owners & Trainers Champion Juvenile Stakes, Nursery Stakes, Glenlair Trophy, Guineas Trial Stakes, Shell Conservation Guineas, BP Conservation Guineas, and the Borrowdale Stakes but only managed 2nd twice in the Schweppes Gold Cup. He retired to stud in Kenya at Janet and Jo Mills’ stud farm.

“Chrysanthemum (SNL) directly through her daughters is also responsible for DEVASHRINE (Spey Bridge Champion Sprinter), LUPIN, DIPLOMAT, MITRA, VAL DE RA (Equus Champion Sprinter 2011), TEVEZ, PALLADIUM, and CUE THE MUSIC. A distant descendant from her family is our own famous MERCILESS SUN – campaigned by Sir Raymond Stockil and victorious 11 times including our premier race the Castle Tankard.”

So there you are – how I wish we could make our racing and breeding industries great again!

Six horses are carded for Sunday’s Hachiman Sprint, due off at 15.45, and the field includes Twilight Trip, winner of the 1200m HRIB Gold Cup, and Edward The Seventh who won the 1450m Zimbabwe Challenge on December 16.

The first race on Sunday is due off at 12.55.

Photograph Andrew Philip…Unfortunately no pic available of Hachiman.

No more racing at Borrowdale Park until January but the last race meeting of 2018 ended well with good racing, some exciting finishes and (so I am told) a holiday atmosphere in the Ipi Tombe Room.

Edward The Seventh won the feature race, the 1450m Zimbabwe Challenge, and it was good to see so many ardent supporters of Zimbabwe racing being rewarded with winners during the afternoon.

I wish everyone a happy and stress-free festive season – and more winners in the New Year.

FIRST UP – THE BAR

The three-year-old Noordhoek Flyer filly, The Bar, beat stablemates Blue Label, Prairie Sky and Crown Brewed to the line in the 1200m Maiden Plate.

Trained by Bridget Stidolph, The Bar was bred by Wilgerbosdrift and Mauritzfontein. She is owned by Messrs S N Buchan, N Evans, K Hatendi, Duncan Jones, H D Parbhoo and C M Rambo. Calvin Habib was in the irons.

Well done everyone.

A GOOD DAY FOR SWANSON YARD

Heir Line, carrying top weight in the 2000m MR 85 Handicap, provided Kirk Swanson with the first of four winners on Sunday – with stable companions Amsterdam, Perfect Grace and Solinski also in the money.

Winning margins 3.50, 3.75 and 4 lengths.

Owned by Dave Ward, Gary Carter, Sean Gorringe, Vikas Patel, Paula Lewis and Paul and Ursula Gorringe, Heir Line was bred by Varsfontein Stud and is by Dynasty. He has now won five from 15 starts. Sherman Brown was in charge.

Congratulations!

PIRATE HUNTER CLOSED SO NICELY

Americans talk about ‘closers’ and Pirate Hunter filled the bill on Sunday coming from behind to snatch the honours in a 2000m Novice Plate. Innovation, the long-time leader, was three-parts of a length behind, followed by Bold Australienne and Hashtag Rounda.

This made it a quick double for the Kirk Swanson/Sherman Brown combo. By Mullins Bay (GB) and bred by Summerhill Stud, Pirate Hunter is owned by Anna Mason, Sheldene Chant, Merlyn Chant, Guy Martell and Sterling Miller.

Nice work team.

PEAPACK CAN PICK ‘EM

Peapack, a close second over 1600m on December 1, found the winner’s box on Sunday in the 1700m Maiden Plate. Jarryd Penny was riding for Penny Fisher and this pair scored again in the last race.

Yaqueen finished two lengths back and then came Akon Cagua and Coastal Attraction.

By Byword (GB) and out of a Fort Wood (USA) mare, Peapack was bred by Wilgerbosdrift and Mauritzfontein, and is owned by Dave Rosser and Gengiz Goksel.

Congratulations.

SILVANO(GER) FILLY SHOWS CLEAN PAIR OF HEELS

Penny From Heaven, having her first outing at Borrowdale Park in the 1700m Progress Plate, won comfortably with Wes Marwing up.

Peggson, giving away plenty of weight, was 3.50 lengths back. Israel and Yarraman were also placed.

Trained by Kirk Swanson, Penny From Heaven is owned by Dave Ward, Gary Carter, Sean Gorringe, Vikas Patel, Paula Lewis and Paul and Ursula Gorringe – all of whom were having a successful day.

The four-year-old, bred by Maine Chance Farms, has now won three from 11 starts – and there will surely be more to come.

EDWARD THE SEVENTH UP TO THE CHALLENGE

Edward The Seventh, bred in Zimbabwe by his owner Chris Peech at Rumbavu Stud, won the 2018 Zimbabwe Challenge over 1450 m.

The four-year-old son of Seventh Rock (AUS) out of a Kitalpha (USA) mare, has now won five and been placed four times from 12 starts. On Sunday Mathew Thackeray was riding for Kirk Swanson.

The winner finished two lengths clear of Twilight Trip, and then came Butchie Boy and Super Good. Kevin Barry, returning from a long break was fifth, followed by Road to Dubai.

For a while I thought Road To Dubai (5.75 lengths back) was going to do something but unfortunately the “saddle of ROAD TO DUBAI (W Marwing) slipped back in running as confirmed by a member of the Stipendiary Board”. A pity about that.

Hearty congratulations to the winning connections.

GET-OUT STAKES QUARTET ‘ONLY’ PAID $16 910.50

The fancied Cotton Rock won the last race, a 1260m MR 60 Handicap, but the inclusion of Silver Buck, Kilowatt Kid and Gateway Gamble in the placings resulted in a memorable Quartet dividend of $16 910.50.

A super Christmas Box for someone…or maybe the rest of us got lucky, no-one won, and all that money will be carried forward?

Owned by Gengiz Goksel and Dave Rosser, Cotton Rock has now won three races. This five-year-old mare is by Rock of Rochelle (USA) and was bred by Hemel ‘n Aarde Stud. Jarryd Penny was riding again for Penny Fisher and this completed the stables’ Sunday double.

Local apprentices Omeara Rusike, Rodgers Satombo and Walter Shumba all completed qualifying rides here.

Congratulations to all concerned.