The somewhat unfancied Christofle (above), having his third start at Borrowdale Park on Sunday, and back over a shorter trip, won the 1200m MR 65 Handicap, beating Cool Solution by half a length.

By Tiger Ridge (USA) the four-year-old is trained by Bridget Stidolph and was bred by Wilgerbosdrift and Mauritzfontein. Collen Storey was in the irons and the gelding 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.

These owners triumphed again when Coastal Torrent (below) having his first start in Harare, turned the 1260m Maiden Plate into a procession, beating stable companion Akon Cagua by five lengths. The son of Great Britain (GB) is trained by Bridget Stidolph, was bred by Ascot Stud (Pty) Ltd, and Collen Storey had the ride.

Congratulations everyone.

Bridget Stidolph, leading Zimbabwe trainer for the 2017-18 racing season, hit most of the high notes on Sunday afternoon, saddling four of the winners on the seven-race Borrowdale Park card.

The strongly fancied three-year-old Var (USA) filly, Mia Finola, recorded her fourth win from eight starts in the ZRP Fillies Mile. She is owned by Newbury Racing (Pty) Ltd (nominee Mr D. E. Evans) and was bred by Piemonte Stud. Regular jockey Calvin Habib was in the irons.

Hearty congratulations to all concerned.

The wow factor came in the third race where Stidolph scored with Coastal Torrent. This Great Britain (GB) gelding was having his first outing at Borrowdale in the 1260m Maiden Plate. Ridden by Collen Storey, Coastal Torrent demolished this field and is definitely one to look out for in future.

The newcomer 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, and was bred by Ascot Stud (Pty) Ltd.

Well done everyone – exciting times.

Photograph by Zimbabwe Equine News: Mia Finola and Calvin Habib.

The first race at Borrowdale Park this afternoon is due off at 12.40, and main race of the day is the ZRP Fillies Mile at 16.10.

Haga Haga and Philanthropy meet again in an MR 75 Handicap over 1800m at 15.00. On September 23 Haga Haga, completing a hat-trick, finished three-parts of a length clear of Philanthropy, who was receiving 1.5 kgs, in an MR 60 Handicap over today’s distance.
Philanthropy will probably receive 2 kgs from Haga Haga this afternoon as Calvin Habib is likely to ride at 53 kgs rather than 52. This should be an exciting race if all of Twilight Trip, Designer Pot and Perfect Grace put their best hooves forward.

Photograph by Gavin McLeod. Haga Haga (61kgs with Norbert Takawira up) and Philanthropy (59.5 kgs with Habib in the irons) on September 23.

It seems this week most people have plenty on their minds other than racing. Hopefully, next week will be better.

The first race on Sunday is due off at 12.40 pm and the feature race is the Fillies Mile (L) where all of Mia Finola, Madonna’s Flame, Missy Franklin and Party In The Park are expected to fight out the finish.

Most interesting news is Francois Herholdt being awarded his riding license for Korea, and Ipi Tombe’s grand-daughter, Summer Afternoon, winning on debut in South Africa.

There are some competitive fields at Borrowdale Park but what with the electricity going on and off – and an intermittent internet connection when ZESA is actually on – I haven’t the energy to go into detail.

Former July winning champion Ipi Tombe made waves at Turffontein Racecourse on Thursday, when her granddaughter Summer Afternoon made a smart winning debut.

Bred and owned by Drakenstein Stud, the 3yo daughter of Drakenstein’s champion sire Trippi (pictured) ran on smartly to win first time out over 1200m by a length and a half.

Summer Afternoon, who is trained by former champion trainer Sean Tarry Racing, was ridden to victory by last season’s Champion Jockey/Apprentice Lyle Hewitson and she started the well backed 11-10 tote favourite for Thursday’s race, which took place on the Turffontein inside track.

(Another well bred first-timer Veritas for Janse Van Vuuren Stables also caught the eye – despite being green in running and taking time to quicken, Veritas stayed on when the race was all but over to take fourth –less than four lengths off the impressive winner.)

Summer Afternoon is out of the winning mare Pin Turn, a daughter of champion broodmare sire Pivotal and former Equus Champion Ipi Tombe.

A daughter of Manshood, the Zimbabwean bred Ipi Tombe, who was sold at the annual Zimbabwe auction for the approximate sum of $30, was one of the finest racemares ever bred in Africa. She began her career in Zimbabwe, where she won, before being moved to the yard of champion trainer Mike de Kock.

Under de Kock, Ipi Tombe flourished and lost just once in five South African starts, when second in the G1 Triple Tiara 1600m when making her SA debut. She then reeled off eight wins in a bounce, with her winning spree including the 2002 G1 Vodacom Durban July, beating the likes of J&B Met winner Angus and champions Celtic Grove and El Picha.

Raced by the Sunmark Stable, WinStar Farm and Team Valor International later bought into the brilliant bay.

Exported to Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Ipi Tombe proved just as lethal, with her wins including a brilliant 3.75 length win in the 2003 Jebel Hatta, before she went on to demolish a world-class field in the 2003 G1 Dubai Duty-Free.

She went to North America, but made only one start, when victorious in the 2003 G3 Locust Grove Handicap, before injury forced her retirement.

Sold at Tattersalls’s 2004 December Mare Sale for 850,000 guineas (she was the top lot sold that year), Ipi Tombe proved disappointing at stud, but, if Summer Afternoon is anything to go by, her daughters may well continue her legacy.

(This article was published today by TSA News. I would question whether Ipi Tombe, bred in Zimbabwe by Peter Moor, sold for US$30 as a yearling!)

Zimbabwe Racing Awards for the 2017-2018 racing season were announced at a function in Harare on Saturday evening.

MOTA/MTC/NHRA AWARDS

WINNER OPEN SERIES – ASHTON PARK
WINNER SPRINTER SERIES – LIFE IS GOOD
LEADING OWNER – NEWBURY RACING (Pty) Ltd (NOM: MR D.E. EVANS)
LEADING TRAINER – STIDOLPH BRIDGET
CHAMPION BREEDER – VARSFONTEIN STUD
CHAMPION JOCKEY – MUNGER RYAN
CHAMPION APPRENTICE – NO AWARD

SPEY BRIDGE AWARDS

SPEY BRIDGE CHAMPION TWO-YEAR-OLD – NO AWARD

SPEY BRIDGE CHAMPION THREE-YEAR-OLD FEMALE – RAVEN GIRL

SPEY BRIDGE CHAMPION THREE-YEAR-OLD MALE – KNUCKLEBALL

SPEY BRIDGE CHAMPION SPRINTER – COACHELLA

SPEY BRIDGE CHAMPION OLDER HORSE – SIMONA

SPEY BRIDGE HORSE OF THE YEAR – SIMONA

SPEY BRIDGE PERSONALITY OF THE YEAR – SCOTT BUCHAN

SPEY BRIDGE SPECIAL AWARDS – ASHTON PARK
– RUMBABVU PARK STUD
– AVALON FOLLETT- SMITH

PAUL MUSCUTT TROPHY -BRENDON MCNAUGHTON

The Jacarandas are magnificent at present. One has to wonder why the MTC is staging the Jacaranda Free Handicap on November 3…and not right now.

Photograph by Zimbabwe Equine News.

John Koumides’ Just As Well (USA) gelding, What A Dandy, bounced back to his best when winning the 1100m MR 65 Handicap on Saturday.

The four-year-old has now won four and been placed four times from 10 starts.

Trained by Kirk Swanson and bred by Barton Hall Stud, Just A Dandy was ridden by Sherman Brown.

Congratulations everyone.

Calvin Habib brought home two winners for Gael and Dennis Evans of Newbury Racing at Borrowdale on Saturday. They won with Pampas and Mia Finola, both trained by Bridget Stidolph. Well done everyone.

Photograph by Andrew Philip.

In addition to saddling the feature race winner, Knuckleball, on Saturday, Penny Fisher also scored with Hillah The Hun and Roy’s Sailor.

Hillah The Hun (above) is by Visionaire (USA) out of a Jet Master mare and was bred by Mr A.B. Hogg. She is owned by Gengiz Goksel and Mike Eaton and has now won two races – the latest being a 1600m MR 49 Handicap where the filly finished 1.50 lengths clear of stable companion Bomber Pilot. Hennie Greyling had the ride.

One for the notebook perhaps.

Madonna’s Flame was the first of three winners from the Stidolph stable at Borrowdale Park on Saturday.

The three-year-old daughter of Irish Flame was having her first race, a 1200m Maiden Plate, beating Dusha by 1.25 lengths.

Owned by the Gin’ll Fix It Syndicate (nominee Kirsty Stidolph), Madonna’s Flame was bred by Clifton Stud. Brendon McNaughton was riding.

Congratulations everyone.

The four-year-old son of Curved Ball (AUS), Knuckleball, won the 1800m ZNA Charity Handicap at Borrowdale Park this afternoon. He went on to the pace, chased by Heir Line, with Simona biding her time further back.

However, there was no catching Penny Fisher’s charge today. Francois Herholdt was in the irons. Simona and Heir Line went head to head for second place, with Simona getting the edge. Twilight Trip ran fourth.

Simona carried 60 kgs so this was a gallant effort, and Heir Line also ran a great race.

The winner is owned by Mr V. Guppah, Mr R.H.S. and Mrs P. Beattie, and Mr D.H. and Mrs J.L. Cocksedge. He was bred by Clifton Stud.

Congratulations to all concerned.