Madigan, winner of Zimbabwe’s Triple Crown in 2012, notched up his 10th win at Borrowdale Park on Sunday in the 1800m Merit Rated 80 Handicap.

Zita was scratched so only seven horses started and Two Gun Kid set the pace. Apprentice Norbert Takawira had Madigan nicely placed coming into the home turn and the son of Joshua Dancer (USA) forged ahead up the straight. Andrew Fortune on the more fancied Rock The Country gave chase, causing Madigan’s supporters a few anxious moments, but the seven-year-old gelding stuck to his guns and won by 0.75 lengths.

The winning connections.

In addition to his 10 victories Madigan has been placed 9 times from 35 starts. He has had issues but this was his second win in succession and full marks to the connections for perseverance.

Given a chance many older horses have still got what it takes. In fact in Sunday’s race both the main players – Madigan and Rock The Country – are aged seven. Two-five-year olds, Diversify and Say So Tiger, settled for the third and fourth places.

Photograph: Gavin Macleod

At present the pool of horses racing at Borrowdale Park can best be described as minimal so stables battle to meet the Racing Operator’s demands regarding acceptable field sizes. This inevitably results in seemingly unlikely runners sometimes being thrown into the melting pot.

The seven-race card for Sunday features the Commissioner General Of Police’s Charity Handicap over 1600m, as well as an 1800m Merit Rated 80 Handicap, and I have to wonder what the powers that be are thinking of. Everyone agrees the number of horses that can be called upon to race at Borrowdale is on the small side. Everyone knows the number of horses racing in the higher divisions is particularly limited.

Eight runners are carded for the 1600m Commissioner General of Police’s Charity Handicap and of these Tallie Two (third), Thriller In Manila (fourth), Super Trouper, Two Gun Kid and Merhaba finished behind Print The Pounds and Rock The Country in the 1800m ZNA Charity Handicap on October 4.

Principled Man with Apprentice Wes Marwing in the irons. Andrew Fortune rides on Sunday.

Training honours at Borrowdale Park on Sunday once again went to Glenwood Racing, with Gokhan Terzi saddling three of the winners on the 7-race card.

The three-year-old filly, Fashion World by Global One (AUS), graduated from the maidens at the second time of asking over 1200m. She is owned by Mr S. Armstrong, bred by Bosworth Farm Stud and was ridden by Andrew Fortune. First timer Domboshava was 0.75 lengths behind, followed by the fancied, Sky, and With Distinction.

Terzi and Fortune scored again when Bankers Blues finished in front of Nugget Effect in the 1600m Merit Rated 65 Handicap – the tightest finish of the afternoon.

Bankers Blues, by Greys Inn (USA), was bred by the Estate Late Mr R.B.Wallace, and is owned by Dave Rosser and Gengiz Goksel.

Apprentice Wesley Marwing rode Agnetha for Terzi in the 1600m Merit Rated 50 Handicap. The six-year old mare by Miesque’s Approval, was bred by Dr I.R. Heyns and this was Mr S. Armstrong’s second winner. Agnetha has now won three races. In what looked to be a very open race she was Tote Favourite (4/1) and Delta Special, Muhannad and Al Cobalena came in behind her.

The photograph, taken by Gavin Macleod, shows Bankers Blues (nearest camera) and Nuggett Effect approaching the line. Winning margin 0.25 lengths.

Equina won the 1800m ZNA Charity Handicap in 2014 and should collect these laurels once again when she lines up with seven other contenders at Borrowdale Park on Sunday.

The six-year-old daughter of Silvano (GER) will be going for a hat-trick having won the $40 000 Republic Cup (GR3) over 1900m, and the 1400m Breeders Sprint, in July. Claiming Apprentice Serino Moodley teamed up with Equina for the Breeders Sprint, thereby reducing her set weight to 53.5kgs, and she beat Super Trouper (conceding 6.5kgs) by 0.05 lengths.

Moodley has the ride again in the ZNA Charity Handicap so former big-time opponents, Super Trouper, Thriller In Manila, Rock The Country and Two Gun Kid, all have heaps of work to do.

They competed in the 1800m OK Grand Challenge won by Yer-Maan in June, 2015. That day Thriller In Manila (second) finished 1.5 lengths in front of Equina (fourth) when in receipt of 3 kgs. Rock The Country (third) also received 3 kgs from Equina, and Super Trouper finished fifth, one length behind Equina while giving her 0.5 kgs.

On Sunday Equina will receive 1.5 kgs from Thriller In Manila, while meeting Rock The Country at level weights. Super Trouper will be giving the mare 4 kgs.

Equina with Moodley aboard.