…another magnificent milestone

Dubbles Draper, former Borrowdale Park trainer and doyen of Zimbabwe racing, will be 95 tomorrow, August 16.
To this day Dubbles remains an ardent supporter of thoroughbreds – everywhere – and has a share in the wonderful filly, Solinski, who needs no introduction to anyone who follows racing at Borrowdale Park.
Have a truly exceptional birthday Dubbles, and many more memorable moments.
FLASHBACK: This photograph was taken at the Zimbabwe Yearling Sales many moons ago – thank you Jackie Cocksedge. Always elegant, Dubbles is centre stage with the beret.

FLASHBACK: 2016/17 BREEDERS CHAMPIONS CUP (L)
Comanche Brave  (above), with Callan Murray up, won the 2000m Breeders Champions Cup on March 19, beating Mathematician, Duffi’s Call and Eurakilon home. By Kahal (GB), Comanche Brave is trained by Amy Bronkhorst.

FLASHBACK: 2016/17 TBA SILVER SLIPPER (L)
The second leg of Zimbabwe’s Triple Tiara (for three-year-old fillies),the 1800m TBA Silver Slipper (L), was run at Borrowdale Park on March 19. It was won by the Fencing Master (GB) filly, Solinski (above), and Crystalline, Golden Mystery and Aloft were placed. Solinski is trained by Swanson Racing, Callan Murray was up.

FLASHBACK: 2016/17 BLOODSTOCK SOUTH AFRICA 2000 (G3)
Silver Slipper winner Solinski (above) took on the boys in the Bloodstock South Africa 2000, second leg of the Triple Crown, and won. Her stablemates Flasher On The Run and Haga Haga could not catch her and Megagram was fourth. Kirk Swanson trains the daughter of the late Sobieski (USA) and Callan Murray was in the irons again on April 2.

FLASHBACK: 2016/17 INDEPENDENCE TROPHY
Former Triple Tiara winner, Duffi’s Call (above), was involved in a close finish in the 1600m Independence Trophy on April 16 – and retained the upper hand. Only 0.60 lengths separated the first three home with Windigo (second) and Eurakilon (third) up there. Newton Power was fourth. Bridget Stidolph trained the winner and Callan Murray had the ride. This was the daughter of A P Answer (USA)’s seventh victory.

FLASHBACK- 2016/17 HACHIMAN SPRINT
Super Good (above), trained by Bridget Stidolph and ridden by Fanie Chambers, won the 1100m Hachiman Sprint on January 8. Road To Dubai, Wylde Style and Sheik’s Brashee also earned stake money. The 2017/18 Hachiman Sprint is likely to take place again in January, but exact date unavailable at present.

FLASHBACK: 2016/17 FILLIES CLASSIC

First Leg of Zimbabwe’s Triple Tiara

Amy Bronkhorst’s Wylde Style (above), with Randall Manuel Simons aboard, won the 1600m Fillies Classic, First Leg of the Zimbabwe Triple Tiara, on February 19.
Solinski, Golden Mystery and Lady Carina were placed.

FLASHBACK: 2016/17 IPI TOMBE STAKES (L)
Windigo (above) completed a feature double when he won the 1600m Ipi Tombe Stakes on February 19. He was two lengths clear of Mathematician, then came Comanche Brave and Eurakilon. The eight runners all carried 60 kgs. Trained by Swanson Racing, Windigo had Sherman Brown in the irons.

FLASHBACK: 2016/17 ZIMBABWE GUINEAS (G3)

First Leg of Zimbabwe’s Triple Crown

Flasher On The Run (above), by Bold Silvano out of a National Assembly mare, won the 1600m Zimbabwe Guineas on March 12, First Leg of the Zimbabwe Triple Crown. Wylde Style, Haga Haga and Megagram followed him to the wire. The Flasher is trained by Kirk Swanson and Sherman Brown was in the irons.

FLASHBACK 2016/17: CHAMPION FILLIES STAKES

The Ideal World (USA) filly, La Carmelita, recorded her first win at Borrowdale Park in the 2016 Champion Fillies Stakes,when Ladies First, Betula Uber and Belle Epoque followed her across the line. The winner was trained by Bridget Stidolph and Fanie Chambers was in the irons. The 2017 Champion Fillies Stakes will be run at Borrowdale on Sunday, November 19.

FLASHBACK: 2016/17 HRIB GOLD CUP

Road To Dubai (above) won the prestigious HRIB Gold Cup for the second year in succession. In 2016 Newton Power, Sheik’s Brashee and Comanche Brave also finished in the money. Road To Dubai is trained by Swanson Racing and Keagan de Melo had the winning ride. The 2017 HRIB Gold Cup will be run on Saturday, December 2.

FLASHBACK: 2016/17 TOTE FREE HANDICAP
Former Champion two-year-old Wylde Style (above) continued on her winning ways when beating Jameson Run, Haga Haga and Devil In Command to the wire in the 2016 Tote Free Handicap run over 1600m. Wylde Style is owned and trained by Amy Bronkhorst and Evert Pheiffer had the ride in the Tote Free. This event will take place this season on HRIB day, December 2.

FLASHBACK: 2016/17 ZIMBABWE CHALLENGE
On December 18, 2016, Windigo (above) won the 1400m Zimbabwe Challenge in a close finish with Newton Power, followed by La Carmelita and Flax. The Windrush gelding is trained by Kirk Swanson and Randall Manuel Simons was riding. The 2017/18 Zimbabwe Challenge will take place on Sunday, December 17.

At present Borrowdale Park is closed for its annual racing break.  The first race meeting of the 2017/18 racing season will take place on Saturday, September 9.

FLASHBACK: 2016/17 AFZ CHARITY SPRINT
The first feature race of the 2016/17 Borrowdale Park racing season was won by Approval Rating, trained by Gokhan Terzi with Norbert Takawira in the irons. The AFZ Charity Sprint was run over 1000m and Nimble Dancer, Sheik’s Brashee and Newton Power filled the minor placings. AFZ day is scheduled for Saturday, 9 September, this year.

FLASHBACK: 2016/17 SABLE FLYERS (L)
In September 2016 the Sable Flyers (L) was run over 1260m and won by the Gokhan Terzi trained Invincible Swan. Juanpaul van der Merwe rode the winning filly and the places went to Carla The Rebel, Uptown Gal and Beretta. On September 24, 2017, this race will be run over 1450m at Borrowdale Park.

FLASHBACK: 1800M ZNA CHARITY HANDICAP
On October 8 2016 the feature race honours went to Lava Flow, trained by Penny Fisher Racing with Keagan de Melo aboard. Call Me Earl, Print The Pounds and Newton Power also finished in the money. The 2017 ZNA Charity Handicap will take place at Borrowdale on Saturday, October 7.

FLASHBACK: 2016/17 JACARANDA FREE HANDICAP
Locally bred Kevin Barry completed a hat-trick when winning the 1200m Jacaranda Free, a handicap for all three-year-olds, in November 2016. He is trained by Penny Fisher Racing and Ryan Munger had the ride. Minor places went to Wylde Style, Shepparton and Esprit de Corps. This year the Jacaranda Free takes place at Borrowdale Park on Guy Fawkes Day, Sunday November 5.

CHAMPION ZIMBABWE TRAINER 1ST AUGUST 2016 – 22 JULY 2017

Congratulations to Bridget Stidolph who finished the 2016/17 season as Zimbabwe’s Champion Trainer. This award is based on stakes won and the Stidolph yard earned $330 668 in stakes (53 individual runners, win % 13, place % 51).

All the Zimbabwe trainers deserve credit for pulling their weight in what has been a difficult year. The owners and the MTC deserve a pat on the back also.

Kirk Swanson was runner-up with $ 312 552 (39 individual runners, win % 16, place % 60), followed by Penny Fisher $175 907 (23 individual runners, win % 16, place % 47), then Amy Bronkhorst $166 404 (17 individual runners, win % 10, place % 49).

The honours in the Jockey Championship went to Fanie Chambers, regular jockey for the Stidolph yard. Apprentice Calvin Habib, who also rides for Bridget Stidolph, is Champion Apprentice.

All the racing awards will be presented at a function in September, and will include the Spey Bridge Awards which, hopefully, until then, will remain shrouded in mystery.

Recently Porterhouse has shown signs of a return to form and he pounced in the 1260m MR 65 Handicap at Borrowdale Park on Saturday, providing Bridget Stidolph and Fanie Chambers with the first of their two winners.

Owned by John Koumides and bred by Bosworth Farm Stud, the six-year-old Miesque’s Approval (USA) gelding has now won five races and been placed 17 times.

On Saturday, Amas Amat, Just A Jag and Temple Run finished behind him – winning margins, 0.50, 0.60 and 0.85 lengths.

They may be few and far between these days but Zimbabwe bred runners are holding their own at Borrowdale Park.  On Saturday three of the eight winners were locally bred, including Edward The Seventh (above), Delta and Wylde Style.

The two-year-old Seventh Rock (AUS) gelding, Edward The Seventh, won the 1200m Maiden Plate, his first start, finishing five lengths clear of stablemate, Switchblade.  He was bred at Rambavu Park Stud and is owned by Christopher Peech.  Sherman Brown was in the irons.

Delta (below) is owned and bred by Black Diamond Thoroughbreds (nominee Brian Makwabarara).  Apprentice Mpumelelo Mjoka had the ride in the 1700m Maiden Plate.

Both horses are trained by Kirk Swanson. Congratulations to the winning connections.

Swanson Racing ended the 2016/17 racing season on a high note with four winners at Borrowdale Park during Saturday afternoon. 

The fourth winner, Light The Way, came in the 1600m Pinnacle Plate (80), last race of the day, and the son of  Miesque’s Approval (USA) finished half a length ahead of David’s Flower, Roman Discent and Lava Flow. Apprentice Mpumelelo Mjoka was in the irons and Light The Way is owned by Colin Bird.  This was the five-year-old gelding’s second start at Borrowdale.  He has now won five races.

This isn’t the best photograph – fading light and all that – but most of the Swanson team was in the parade ring to welcome their winner.

The Swanson stable is having an Open Day on Saturday, July 29, to celebrate racing and things to come.  Have fun!

Wylde Style, bred in Zimbabwe by Peter Moor and owned and trained by Amy Bronkhorst, won the 1600m ZRP Fillies Charity Stakes at Borrowdale Park on Saturday.

Sherman Brown had the winning ride and piloted Wylde Style across the line, ahead of Placid Sea, Betula Uber and Simona.  Champion Two-year-old in 2015/16, Wylde Style has now won 8 of her 17 starts and been placed 7 times.  She is by West Man (USA) out ofSoul Seek (ZIM).

Congratulations Amy, Peter and Sherman.

The seven-year-old Battersea Park gelding, Ashton Park, trained by Penny Fisher, achieved his ninth career victory in the 1450m Breeders Sprint at Borrowdale Park on Saturday.  Life Is Good was 1.25 lengths behind him, followed by Super Good and Road To Dubai.

Ryan Munger was in the irons and Ashton Park is owned by Mrs S.H. Mackenzie and Messrs P. Bamford, F.C. Blomkamp, A.J. Brand, P. F. MdoCarmo, G. Goksel, M.A. Govender, M.G. Schoeman and Wehasnn Smith, and the ZonkeEnaMushe Syndicate (nominee Mrs N.J. Fisher). Well done!

Ashton Park was bred by Mr Y. Khan.

Flanders, trained by Bridget Stidolph, won the 1450m Champagne Stakes at Borrowdale Park on Saturday, finishing 0.05 lengths in front of stable companion Butchie Boy. 

The Gimmethegreenlight (AUS) juvenile has now won all his four starts in Zimbabwe, and his victory probably ensured Bridget would end the season as Zimbabwe’s Champion Trainer.

Flanders is owned by Newbury Racing (Pty) Ltd, and regular jockey, Fanie Chambers was in the irons.  Congratulations to all the winning connections.