Nedo Nadi, seen here winning his first start on September 24, when he narrowly beat Epee by half a length. The son of Fencing Master went on to win again over 1200m but fluffed his lines in the 1200m Jacaranda Free won by Butchie Boy.

He will line up again in the 1600m Guineas Trial at Borrowdale Park on Sunday but as this is his first race around the turn he remains something of an unknown quantity.

Main focus in the Guineas Trial is likely to be on Nedo Nadi’s stablemate Edward The Seventh, and Knuckleball.

This pair met before in the 1600m Tote Free Handicap on December 2, won by Edward The Seventh with Knuckleball 2.50 lengths behind. Knuckleball has subsequently won a 1700m Progress Plate, beating Flasher On The Run.

Only four runners – Night Of Speed has also accepted – but this could still be an exciting race.

Closest finish at Borrowdale Park on Sunday came in the 1700m Maiden Plate when Hillah The Hun seemed to have it in the bag…until Pirate Hunter finally got his act together, sweeping up late, but the filly retained her upper hand – winning margin 0.10 lengths.

Two for the notebook, perhaps.

Divine Advocate finished 1.35 lengths back followed by Tremendous.

Hillah The Hun, owned by Gengis Goksel and Mike Eaton, is by Visionaire (USA) out of a Jet Master mare. The three-year-old was bred by Mr A.B. Hogg and this was her second start at Borrowdale. She is trained by Penny Fisher and Hennie Greyling was in the irons.

Congratulations to the winning connections.

Photograph by Gavin Macleod

Designer Pot, owned by Ron Mhizha, Sandra Mehlomakhulu, Denny Marandure and Tham Mpofu, won the 1600m Novice Plate at Borrowdale Park on Sunday, finishing 3.50 lengths clear of Burning Rock, Record Bid and Golden Mystery.  

Trained by Kirk Swanson, the son of Judpot (USA), was ridden by Sherman Brown and the four-year-old was bred by Varsfontein Stud.

Nothing beats having a share in a horse that wins a race… and then celebrating after the  race meeting with connections and friends. Congratulations to all concerned.

Photograph: Zimbabwe Equine News

Respectable Rock’s first race in Zimbabwe was a win for owners, Messrs G. Goksel and C. Lafraisiere, by a respectable 1.25 lengths.

This was the first of two winners from the Penny Fisher yard at Borrowdale Park on Sunday afternoon.

By Seventh Rock (AUS) and out of a Model Man mare, this winner was bred by La Berg Stud and Ryan Munger had the ride. The three-year-old gelding was formerly trained by Alyson Wright.

Below: Respectable Rock (Munger) and Nicky Sibanda on Blue Label (black and yellow silks) battle it out in the 1100m Maiden Plate. Photograph by Gavin Macleod.

Life Is Good from the Amy Bronkhorst yard was an effortless winner of the 1100m Hachiman Sprint at Borrowdale Park on Sunday, an interesting result for those of us with long memories.

Super Good (Chambers) and Road To Dubai (De Melo) heading for home in the 2017 Hachiman Sprint.

…and what do you think about the weather?

In 2017 the 1100m Hachiman Sprint was run at Borrowdale Park in heavy going and was won by Super Good.

At the time of writing, unless we have a deluge before Sunday, the going is likely to be good.

Super Good has accepted this challenge again, and so have Sheik’s Brashee, Road To Dubai and Wylde Style.

Life Is Good (second to Super Good in the 1100m MR 75 Handicap in April, and third to Super Good’s second in the 1200m HRIB Gold Cup in December) will also take part in this race on Sunday, along with El Gallo, Newton Power and Belle Epoque.

Of the eight runners I find it hard to look further than the first four horses – Sheik’s Brashee, Life Is Good, Super Good and Road To Dubai – which I may regret when one of the light weights scampers in.

In January 2017 Super Good received 8 kgs from Sheik’s Brashee (8.25 lengths back) and now receives only 2 kgs. Road To Dubai (2.75 lengths off the winner) gave away 5kgs and this is now cut to 2.5 kgs. If Super Good is the horse to beat both these seasoned sprinters may give a better account of themselves here.

Life Is Good has met Super Good before without much turnaround in weights. On December 17 Life Is Good, receiving a kg, beat Super Good by 0.50 lengths over 1450m. In the HRIB Gold Cup the four-year-old gelding was 0.50 lengths behind Super Good when in receipt of 0.50 kgs. In Sunday’s line-up Super Good gets 0.5 kgs from his former rival so this pair seem evenly matched.

All of Road To Dubai, Newton Power, El Gallo, Sheik’s Brashee and Wylde Style finished behind Super Good in the HRIB, and I am not going into great detail about these weights. On Sunday they will meet on pretty similar terms and that was a tight finish to the HRIB with Coachella, Super Good, Life Is Good, Road To Dubai and Newton Power finishing within 1.60 lengths – the winner, Coachella, is not running on Sunday.

Super Good is probably the horse to beat but it could all depend on the weather. While some are predicting torrential rain within days, others mourn a drought… I refuse to be surprised by anything the rain gods throw at us this year as it appears to be unpredictable.

The first race is due off at 12.55 pm on Sunday, and the Hachiman Sprint is scheduled for 15.45.

Seven runners set off for the start of the 1200m Madigan Maiden Plate at Borrowdale Park on December 17, but only four took part in the race.

One bolted, another burst through the pen, then there was a false start, so forth and so on…and finally the remainder got away and finished.

The race was won by the Amy Bronkhorst trained Countess Varovski (Ryan Munger), followed by Field of Sound (Randall Simons), Pirate Hunter (Francois Herholdt) and Bugatti Blue (Sherman Brown). Only a length separated the first three horses and Pirate Hunter and Bugatti Blue were having their first start.

Countess Varovski is owned by Messrs S.W. Shutt, K. Hatendi, Duncan Jones, H.D. Parbhoo and D.C. Samuels. The four-year-old Var (USA) filly was bred by Patricia Devine Investments.

Congratulations to the winning connections.

That’s it for Borrowdale Park racing in 2017. Have A Happy New Year, drive carefully (preferably not at all), and better luck with all our starts in 2018.

Photograph: Zimbabwe Equine News.

Roy’s Sailor, by Sail From Seattle (CAN) won the 1800m Novice Plate At Borrowdale Park on December 17 – the gelding’s second outing in Harare.

Trained by Penny Fisher, the six-year-old was bred by Ascot Stud and is owned by Penny, Ken, Alex, Natalie and Alistair Fisher, Gengis Goksel and Messrs E.D. Hatchett and R. K. White. Ryan Munger had the winning ride.

Congratulations everyone.

A fast finishing Roy’s Sailor (Munger) stormed through to catch long-time leader Designer Pot (Brown) on the line in the 1800m Novice Plate at Borrowdale Park on December 17. Winning margin 0.25 lengths.
Photograph: Zimbabwe Equine News.

Daniel Kwatani Frank, a familiar face at Borrowdale Park both in the irons and on the ground. This photograph was snapped by Zimbabwe Equine News at the December 17 meeting. Daniel was on the Gavin Macleod trained Aloft in the 1800m Novice Plate.

A Happy New Year to everyone who has kept things ticking over at Borrowdale during 2017. The first race meeting of 2018 is on January 14.

Knuckleball, son of Curved Ball (AUS), gave his supporters what they expected when an easy winner of the 1700m Progress Plate at Borrowdale Park on December 17. The three-year-old gelding has now won twice and been well placed 6 times from 8 starts.

Trained by Amy Bronkhorst and owned by Mr V. Gappah, Mr R.H.S. and Mrs P. Beattie, and Mr D.H. and Mrs J.L. Cocksedge, Knuckleball was bred by Clifton Stud. Keven Derere was in the irons again.

Congratulations to all the connections.

FIRST SIX IN THE PROGRESS PLATE
Knuckleball (Derere) shows Flasher On The Run (Brown), Roman Discent (Storey), Rebellious Queen (Penny), Tamarind (Takawira) and Jameson Run (Herholdt) the way home in the 1700m Progress Plate on December 17.
Photograph Zimbabwe Equine News

The seven-year-old Toreador (IRE) gelding, Temple Run, won the 1260m MR 60 Handicap at Borrowdale Park on December 17 and this was said to be his last race before retirement. If so Bridget Stidolph’s charge has bowed out in a blaze of glory.

During his racing career Temple Run won 6 races and was placed 21 times from 54 starts. Collen Storey was in the irons on this occasion.

Bred by The Alchemy, Temple Run is owned by Messrs S.N. Buchan, N. Evans, R. Sherwood and M.K. Chant. Congratulations to the winning connections.

BOWING OUT IN STYLE
Temple Run (Collen Storey) winning the 1260m MR 60 Handicap – last race at Borrowdale Park at the December 17 race meeting.
The minor places went to What A Dandy (Herholdt), Megagram (McNaughton) and Supa Wonder (Brown) – winning margins 0.50, 0.60 and 2.10 lengths.
Photograph by Zimbabwe Equine News.

Life Is Good – winner of the 2017  Zimbabwe Challenge.

It was Amy Bronkhorst’s day at Borrowdale Park on Sunday when she saddled three winners on the seven race card.

The stable got off to a good start when Countess Varovski (by Var) won the 1200m Maiden – after a traumatic beginning to the race which resulted in three runners being withdrawn by the starter. Altruist bolted, while Can’t Hold Back and Coastal attraction were fractious in the stalls. Ryan Munger rode this winner.

The 1450m Zimbabwe Challenge was won by the Bronkhorst-trained Life Is Good, followed by Super Good, Comanche Brave and Road To Dubai. Weight told in this one with Mathematician (60kgs) and Ashton Park (59 kgs) at the rear of the field, but only 3.75 lengths separated the first and last horse.

Jarryd Penny had the ride on Life Is Good. Robin Bruss owns the four-year-old Var (USA) gelding bred by Northfields Stud, and now a five-time winner.

Amy’s other visit to the Winner’s Enclosure came in the second race, the 1700m Progress Plate won by Knuckleball with Kevin Derere in the irons. Flasher On The Run, Roman Discent and Rebellious Queen filled the minor places.

Bridget Stidolph sent out two winners during the afternoon – Business Jet in the 1700m Maiden Plate where the fancied Hillah The Hun dislodged his jockey, bolted and was subsequently scratched by the veterinary surgeon – and Temple Run, involved in a tight finish with What A Dandy and Megagram in the 1260 MR 60 Handicap.

The Penny Fisher yard scored with a fast finishing Roy’s Sailor in the 1800m Novice Plate. This time the top weights triumphed, both Roy’s Sailor and Designer Pot, separated by 0.25 lengths at the finish, carried 60 kgs.

Kirk Swanson’s stable came to the party in the 2000m MR 80 Handicap where Phantom Major led from start to finish. Kevin Barry, giving away 6.5 kgs, was only 0.25 lengths off Phantom Major at the wire – quite a cliffhanger.

The next Borrowdale Park race meeting is on January 14, and features the 1100m Hachiman Sprint.