Kevin Barry and Ryan Munger team up again on Sunday.  The son of Horse Chestnut has more to do here but looks the part. Photograph by Zimbabwe Equine News.

If facts and figures strain your brain do not read this. However it might be wise to pay attention to recent changes in Merit Ratings in some of Sunday’s races at Borrowdale Park.

On October 8 Ashton Park was an impressive winner of a 1800 MR 92 Handicap, carrying 61 kgs. He was followed across the line by Kevin Barry (1 length back), Roman Discent (2 lengths behind), Call Me Earl (2.75 lengths), David’s Flower (3.25), Newton Power (5.25) and Lava Flow (5.30).

With the exception of Ashton Park all the above will come out on Sunday in the 1800m Mathematician MR 80 Handicap. So will Perfect Grace and Jay Kay Two, both carrying light weights but in stronger company here.

It is tempting to assume Kevin Barry is virtually home and dry – same distance, mostly the same runners etc – but study the weights carefully. Since they last met Kevin Barry and Roman Discent have each gone up by two index points, Call Me Earl has dropped two points; David’s Flower and Newton Power are minus a point, and Lava Flow is minus three.

This has resulted in some turnaround in weights. For instance, last time Call Me Earl was giving Kevin Barry 1.5 kgs but now receives 0.5 kg. Roman Discent ran against Kevin Barry at level weights but is now in receipt of 1 kg. David’s Flower is now 1.5 kgs better off, and although Newton Power and Kevin Barry both carry 60 kgs on Sunday, Newton Power was giving Kevin Barry 1.5 kgs last time out. And then there’s Lava Flow….4.30 lengths off Kevin Barry before but 3 kgs better off now.

I am not saying Kevin Barry can’t win but I won’t be very surprised if he does not.

Perfect Grace and Jay Kay Two didn’t take on Ashton Park but placed behind Ladies First over 1700m on October 8.  Perfect Grace meets Jay Kay Two on better terms. Working out whether this pair, with weight on their side, can cause an upset is beyond me.

Butchie Boy is used to playing second fiddle to stable mate Flanders.  Perhaps he can turn the tables on Sunday.

Going into the Three-Year-Old Mile at Borrowdale Park on Sunday the 2016/17 Champion Juvenile, Flanders, has the credentials – and can be compared to Wylde Style.

At the end of her two-year-old career Wylde Style, Champion Juvenile in 2015/16, had won four races including the 1200m Champion Juvenile Stakes and the 1450m Champagne Stakes.  Flanders, by Gimmethegreenlight (AUS), can make the same claims to fame.

Often during the 2016/17 season the three-year-old who could beat Wylde Style won, and it seems we might be facing a similar situation. It is early days – the three-year-olds will not be contesting the Classics until 2018 – but Sunday’s race may give some indication of things to come.

The six runners will meet at set weights and all, except for Peggson and Night Of Speed, have raced against Flanders before.

In addition to Flanders, Bridget Stidolph will saddle Butchie Boy and the two fillies, Sweet Tea and Hollywood On Set. Of these Butchie Boy came a very close second to Flanders in the 1450m Champagne Stakes, and was 2.50 lengths behind him in the 1200m Champion Juvenile Stakes.

Neither Flanders nor Butchie Boy have raced further than 1450m yet, but there is no reason to suppose an extra 150m will pose problems.

Amy Bronkhorst’s charge, Peggson, and Night Of Speed from the Kirk Swanson stable, have won over 1700m and 1600m respectively.

On July 8 Night Of Speed beat Knuckleball by 0.25 lengths over the mile, and Hollywood On Set was 3.50 lengths back.

Peggson ran second to Rebellious Queen over 1600m on September 9, then came out on September 24 and won a 1700m Maiden Plate, finishing four lengths clear of Knuckleball.

On previous form there is no doubt that both Peggson and Night Of Speed are at their best over ground. Whether their best is good enough to seriously challenge Flanders and Butchie Boy remains to be seen.

The first race on Sunday is due off at 12.20 pm.

Nedo Nadi – with Apprentice Mpumelelo Mjoka in charge – won the MR 69 Handicap for three-year-olds at Borrowdale Park, and it would have been disappointing if he had not.

The son of Fencing Master (GB) has now triumphed in both his starts but we still don’t know just how effective in the long term he will be. On Sunday the chestnut gelding was receiving weight all round and the Jacaranda Free Handicap and Tote Free Handicap, soon to be contested, should be interesting.

On this occasion Butchie Boy, carrying top weight of 60 kgs, finished 1.25 lengths behind Kirk Swanson’s winner; Nedo Nadi’s stable mate Sail From Sibaya (53.5 kgs) was third, then Knuckleball (58kgs) fourth.

Be that as it may Nedo Nadi has at this stage done all that was asked of him. He was bred in Zimbabwe at Rumbavu Stud and is owned by Mr C.P.M Peech.  Congratulations Christopher and Noelene …Nedo Nadi continues to look good.

Ladies First, by Silvano (GER) out of an Al Mufti (USA) mare, won the 1700m MR 69 Handicap at Borrowdale Park on Sunday, completing a double. The five-year-old, trained by Amy Bronkhorst, has now won six races. Randall Simons was in the irons.

Minor places went to Perfect Grace ( 1.25 lengths back), Jay Kay Two and Betula Uber.

Congratulations to the winning owners, Dave Rosser and Gengiz Goksel. Ladies First was bred by Varsfontein Stud.

I thought the Kirk Swanson stable might have a couple of winners at Borrowdale on Sunday – and they did – but I wasn’t expecting Ezekial to be one of them.

The five-year-year-old son of Soar With Eagles (USA) was coming off a 92 day rest. He stepped out smartly in the 1450m MR 53 Handicap, kept in touch with the early leader, made his move at about the 400m mark, then left the field for dead, winning by six lengths. Ryan Munger was riding.

Goose Green, also from the Swanson yard, ran second, followed by Detente and Megagram.

Ezekial is owned by John Koumides and Debra Swanson, and he was bred in Zimbabwe by Sunmark Thoroughbreds. Congratulations to everyone.

Borrowdale Park’s closest finish on Sunday came in the first race, the 1100m Merit Rated 67 Handicap, when Elegant Beauty got up to beat Belle Epoque by 0.50 lengths.

This four-year-old filly, by Main Aim (GB) out of a National Assembly (CAN) mare, was having her second start in Harare. Randall Simons was riding for Amy Bronkhorst and this pair scored a second time later in the day.

Phantom Major, coming back after 245 days, ran third, two lengths off the winner. Nimble Dancer finished fourth.

Elegant Beauty is owned by Paul Rugg, Grant Littleford and Spencer Murray, and was bred by Highlands Farms Stud. Congratulations to all concerned.

Hollywood On Set and Brendon McNaughton, riding for Bridget Stidolph, won the 1200m Maiden Plate, finishing in front of two first-timers, Holly Hunting and Coastal Attraction. Cathayness was fourth.

I wonder how many took a Hollywood On Set and Holly Hunting Swinger, just because?By Jay Peg, Hollywood On Set is a three-year-old filly owned by Newbury Racing (Pty) Ltd (nominee Mr D.E. Evans). She was bred by Maine Chance Farms.
Congratulations to the winning connections

Earlier in the afternoon Penny Fisher’s charge, Rebellious Queen, completed a 1600m double when winning the MR 45 Handicap by three lengths, beating Delta, Racey J and Viking Castle to the wire.

By National Emblem out of a Badger Land (USA) mare, the four-year-old filly is owned by Genghiz Goksel, bred by Bruce le Roux and Jarryd Penny was in the irons. She has now won twice and been placed four times from 8 starts. Congratulations to the connections

Ashton Park, an eight-year-old Battersea Park gelding out of a Jet Master mare, gave the field masses of weight but won the 1800m MR 92 Handicap at Borrowdale Park on Sunday. Ryan Munger was in the irons.

Penny Fisher saddled three of the first four past the post with Kevin Barry and Call Me Earl finishing second and fourth respectively. Roman Descent (third), trained by Bridget Stidolph, held off a Fisher Quartet.

Congratulations to the winning owners, Mrs S.H.Mackenzie and Messrs P. Bamford, F.C. Blomkamp, A.J. Brand, P.F.M. do Carmo, G. Goksel, M.A. Govender, M.G.Schoeman, Wehann Smith, and Zonke Ena Mushe Syndicate (Nominee Mrs N.J. Fisher). Ashton Park was bred by Mr Y. Khan.

…and more thoughts about Sunday…

I have always had a soft spot for Call Me Earl, but he hasn’t raced since July 17, so this is a “welcome back” rather than “think you might win” pic.

However, in that last outing he finished 5.30 lengths off stable companion Ashton Park over 1450m, both carrying 60 kgs. At Borrowdale Park on Sunday, in the 1800m MR 92 Handicap, Call Me Earl receives 6.5 kgs from his formidable, older stable companion.

Apologies to the Fisher yard if they were planning a few betting coups this weekend, because so many of my thoughts about Sunday seem to focus on this stable. (Please note that without Formgrids these thoughts are even more unreliable than usual).

In addition to Ashton Park, Penny Fisher will also saddle Kevin Barry, David’s Flower (AUS) and Lava Flow – all worth considering.

Amy Bronkhorst and Bridget Stidolph are fielding Newton Power and Roman Discent, respectively. Perhaps they will halt the Fisher charge to the wire.

FIRST LEG PICK 6!

This 1200m Maiden Plate is an awkward race for the first leg of the Pick 6,. The field is made up of three unraced runners, plus Cathayness, Hollywood On Set and Queen Of The River. All except Cathayness (60 kgs) are set to carry 59 kgs, but Holly Hunting with Apprentice Mpumelelo Mjoka in the irons will weigh in at 57.5 kgs. Probably wise to choose more experienced runners but this Rebel King filly is number 6 and also drawn 6…just saying.

CAN WE TRUST THE HANDICAPPER?

Five of the six three-year-olds in the 1200m MR 68 Handicap –the get-out stakes – are one-time winners and the weights range from 60 kgs (Butchie Boy) to Nedo Nadi on 52.5 kgs, before Apprentice Mjoka has claimed 1.5 kgs.

Knuckleball, who has yet to win but has placed four times from four starts, will heft 58 kgs.

If you trust the handicapping bank on Butchie Boy, he has run second to Flanders twice. If you feel you might still be in the Pick 6 at this late stage, maybe you should take the field.

The first race is due off at 12.20.

Photograph: Call Me Earl, by Century Stand (AUS) with Diz Buckler and Fiona Olivier.

Photograph: Jay Kay Two with Athandiwe Mgudlwa in the irons. Ryan Munger rides on Sunday.

The four-year-old Century Stand (AUS) gelding, Jay Kay Two, has won his only three starts to date and carries 55 kgs in the 1700m MR 69 Handicap at Borrowdale Park on Sunday.

He meets Ladies First and Placid Sea at level weights, and will be receiving 1 kg from Simona, a winner over 1600m at the last meeting. Jay Kay Two has beaten Simona previously over 1200m when giving the Gimmethegreenlight (AUS) filly 5kgs.

At the other end of the weight scale are Guineas winner Flasher On The Run (58.5 kgs when Apprentice M. Mjoka has claimed), Perfect Grace (58kgs), Crystalline and Betula Uber (57.5 kgs).

Burning Rock (56.5 kgs), a Count Dubois (GB) filly and one-time winner, is having her first start in Harare. This is a race where it is difficult to relate the allotted weights to number of actual wins.

Photograph: Megagram with Fanie Chambers in the irons. Brendon McNaughton rides on Sunday.

Stable companions Detente and Temple Run have reasonable recent form for the 1450m Merit Rated 53 Handicap at Borrowdale Park on Sunday.

Megagram and Al Salaam, also from the Stidolph yard, have not raced since July 22 and may need this outing. All of Maid In The Moon, Grey’s A Rocking, Goose Green and Muthaiga Club are having their second race this season so expect improvement.

Ezekial is having his first start July 8.

Photograph: Rebellious Queen (Penny), followed by Peggson (K. Derere) and
Cathayness (*C. Habib).

CAN REBELLIOUS QUEEN MAKE IT A DOUBLE?

Rebellious Queen beat subsequent winner Peggson over 1600m on September 9 and Penny Fisher’s charge steps out again on Sunday in the 1600m MR 45 Handicap.

The four-year-old daughter of National Emblem will have to work harder here as the possibilities in this field seem endless. Racey J and Muhannad (ARG), also trained by Penny Fisher, cannot be discounted.