2022 – Racing at Borrowdale Park in Harare – Zimbabwe (2024)

The first race at Borrowdale Park today, 15^th December 2022, is off at 13.15 pm and the main race, the Health Point Champion Fillies Stakes is at 16.05.

Please click on this link to view and download the online card https://mcusercontent.com/2a1c7dfa1eb4e4b185607f5a6/files/917d549d-6beb-2d17-5f0d-d16fdae0082a/15_DEC_2022.pdf

Tips and card changes on this site.

Entrance to the course is free.

Photograph by Jenny Stock

Borrowdale Park’s last meeting of 2022 takes place on Thursday. The feature is the 1600m HealthPoint Champion Fillies Stakes where I will not be taking sides with any of the 8 runners.

This is an impressive bunch, including crowd pleasers Lily Blue and True Beauty, but both will be giving away many kgs to the likes of Masaaken, Obscure and Tigers Eagle, as well as others who could be sneaky. So, I will be sitting on the fence for this one, while expecting an especially exciting race.

Have a look at the field:

1 (2) LILY BLUE 6m 60.0 (MR98) M Thackeray – Bridget Stidolph – 12 wins 1000m – 2400m

Owner: Ms Robyn Macleod & Gin’ll Fix It Syndicate (Nom: Miss K Stidolph); Breeder: Mr G J Armitage; Breeding: Black Minnaloushe (USA) – Mammy Blue (ZIM) by Kitalpha (USA)

2 (6) TRUE BEAUTY 5m 60.0 (MR 99) F Herholdt – Thomas Mason – 6 wins 1200m – 2000m

Owner: Ms S P Moyo & Mr G Tafeni; Breeder: Bosworth Farm Stud; Breeding: Skitt Skizzle – Beautiful Jo by Silvano (GER)

3 (8) MASAAKEN (AUS) 5m56.0 (MR88) N Takawira – Debra Swanson – 7 wins 2000m – 2850m

Owner: Mr D H & Mrs J L co*cksedge; Breeder: Shadwell Stud Australasia Ltd, NSW; Breeding: Teofilo (IRE) – Lahqa (AUS) by Stratum (AUS)

4 (4) OBSCURE 5m 54.0 (MR83) J Penny – Bridget Stidolph – 6 wins 1450m – 2000m

Owner: Gin’ll Fix It Syndicate (Nom: Miss K Stidolph); Breeder: Mr G J Armitage; Breeding: Black Minnaloushe (USA) – Mammy Blue (ZIM) by Kitalpha (USA)

5 (7) SHESALEGEND 5m 54.0 (MR80) M Josi – Vanessa Birketoft – 7 wins 1200m – 1700m

Owner: Messrs G M Littleford, S H Murray & P C Rugg; Breeder: Scott Bros; Breeding: Mogok (USA) – Majestic Legend (AUS) by Royal Academy (USA)

6 (3) TIGERS EAGLE 4f 54.0 (MR82) T Gould – Debra Swanson – 5 wins 1600m – 2700m

Owner: Mr C J Danckwerts; Breeder: Wilgerbosdrift & Mauritzfontein; Breeding: Flying The Flag (IRE) – Neck Of The Woods by Al Mufti (USA)

7 (5) VARNICA 6m 54.0 (MR84) R Satombo – Debra Swanson – 10 wins 1100m – 1260m

Owner: Messrs P D Gorringe, S P Gorringe, V Patel, D K Ward & G Carter; Breeder: Gary Player Stud (Pty) Ltd; Breeding: Var (USA) – Muvango by Manshood (GB)

8 (1) DIFFERENTIATE 6m 50.0 (MR74) K Derere – Amy Bronkhorst – 6 wins 1160m – 1800m

Owner: Brumby Syndicate (Nom: Grant Littleford); Breeder: Scott Bros; Breeding: Eightfold Path (USA) – Take The Lead by Al Mufti (USA)

Photographs by Zimbabwe Equine News

Full sisters, Lily Blue and Obscure, have stood their ground in the 1600m HealthPoint Champion Fillies Stakes, to be run at Borrowdale Park on Thursday.

This well-performed pair run in the colours of the Gin’ll Fix It Syndicate (some of whom are seen here). The girls will be out in force on Thursday – for sure – and giving it their best shout.

Photograph by Jenny Stock of Zimbabwe Equine News

The first race at Borrowdale Park today, 4^th December, 2022, is off at 13.20 pm and the main race, the Health Point Gold Cup (Gr3) at 16.10.

Please click on this link to view and download the online card https://mcusercontent.com/2a1c7dfa1eb4e4b185607f5a6/files/af92c14c-4c62-de20-9e66-dd0bbfb402bd/4_December_2022.pdf

Tips and card changes are also on this site.

Entrance to the course is free.

In addition to the Spey Bridge Awards, there were other presentations at Borrowdale Park on Thursday evening.

Bridget Stidolph was Zimbabwe’s Champion Trainer during the 2021/22 season.

Congratulations Bridget!

ZIMBABWE CHAMPION JOCKEY 2021/22

Congratulations Teaque Travis Gould!

You had to do a great deal of travelling to achieve this.

ZIMBABWE CHAMPION APPRENTICE 2021/22

Great stuff Walter Shumba!

Wishing you many more winners.

Photographs by Zimbabwe Equine News

Congratulations to all the winners of the 2021/22 Spey Bridge Awards!

The presentations were made at a function at Borrowdale Park yesterday evening – very well organised and a good time was had by all.

Champion Filly – CALL THE WIND

Champion Sprinter – WHAT A DANDY

Champion Older Horse – TRUE BEAUTY

Special Award – COOL SOLUTION

Personality Of The Year – GYLES DORWARD

Horse Of The Year – TRUE BEAUTY

Photograph: True Beauty. the Horse Of The Year, won the 2022 Castle Tankard and is owned by Mrs S P Moyo & Mr G Tafeni. Bred by Bosworth Stud, the Skitt Skizzle filly is trained by Thomas Mason. Well done everyone.

The Mashonaland Turf Club has advised that the race meeting scheduled for Saturday 3rd December has been moved to Sunday 4 December 2022.

Gavin Macleod is well known at Borrowdale Park – and he should be. An excellent photographer, owner of Equine Carriers, and for many years a successful trainer.

He removed that last hat a while back, but the good news is that Gavin has taken out his licence again and has a horse nominated for Saturday’s race meeting.

With a bit of luck, the final fields for Saturday, December 3, will be declared later today and we will know whether Gavin has his ‘first runner’. In any event welcome back, Gavin.

Borrowdale Park now has six trainers!

Photograph by Zimbabwe Equine News.

Keeping track of merit ratings is horribly fascinating, I find, and usually ends in some sort of rant – before I am shot down in flames for not considering weight-for-age, race conditions, and so forth.

This explains my excitement when spotting a recent article In Sporting Post which began:

“The NHA Handicapping Panel is cautioning all stakeholders, especially the Betting Public, to be extremely careful when using the Carded Merit Ratings in their assessments.

“Due to the vast number of ‘conditions’ type races, together with a host of conditions attached to the Graded races (mainly on the Highveld), many of the ratings that are published do not reflect the Handicapper’s final assessment of those horses affected by these conditions.

“This issue is especially affecting the current 3yo crop as they are unexposed and open to improvement.”

It was the reference to three-year-olds that really got my attention, but before getting into that you would be well advised to read the original article at https://www.sportingpost.co.za/horse-racing/nha-cautions-use-official-ratings-at-your-peril/

Unfortunately, three-year-olds at Borrowdale are in short supply but, in my opinion, Grand Warrior, who won again on Saturday, sticks out like a sore thumb – and there are surely more attractive ways of referring to an outstanding youngster.

The son of Global View (USA) has now won all his three starts – impressively. First time out, in July, he won an 1100m Maiden Juvenile Plate, beating Testify by 7 lengths. In October, with a Merit Rating of 86, he was in a 1200m Novice Plate, giving weight to a field of older horses, and beat Star Aglow by 4 lengths.

On Saturday, Debra Swanson’s charge triumphed in the 1800m Classified Stakes, giving weight to the field, and winning by 5 lengths. His Merit Rating is now 91.

I couldn’t resist having a look at the other three-year-olds who raced on Saturday…there were only 6 of them.

Testify won the 1100 Maiden Plate beating his peers Walking Thru Time, Elmhurst, Montanna Bay and the unraced Red Top. By Ato, Testify has now had 6 runs for one win and 3 places and his MR is unchanged at 67.

Walking Thru Time, was half a length behind Testify, and she has had 2 runs for 2 places and has not yet been rated. Elmhurst (6 runs for 4 places) remains on 58, while Montanna Bay (5 runs for 5 places) remains on 51. Red Top has not been rated.

The remaining three-year-old to step out at the last Borrowdale meeting was Scala Dei Turchi who ran in the 1450m MR 58 Handicap off an MR of 65. She finished 4 lengths behind Justadoreher and her MR is unchanged. Scala Dei Turchi has run 5 times for 1 win and 4 places.

So, what is the object of this tortuous exercise as I am not suggesting Grand Warrior should not have a MR of 91?

It is just a bit frightening because only What A Dandy (105 – 8yo), Coachella (104 – 9yo), Bugatti Blue (99 – 8yo), Only Him (99 – 5yo), True Beauty 99 – 5yo), Holy Land (98 – 7yo), Lily Blue (98 – 6yo), Why Madera (92 – 3yo) and Mr Greenlight (92 – 7yo), are rated above him.

You will have noticed when reading the paragraph above that Why Madera (MR 92) is also a three-year-old and she has won all her four starts from 1260m to 1600m. The next best-rated three-year-old is Down To Business, who is on 86, having won his only start, beating Scala Dei Turchi by five lengths. And if you have faith in ratings the next ‘best’ is Battle Of Seattle (MR 71) who won her first start beating Testify by half a length, was then beaten by Down To Business by 9 lengths, and on 5 November ran two lengths off Star Aglow.

I am likely to be shot down in flames – again – but it does seem hard that the most promising younger horses are given so much to do.

Photograph by Zimbabwe Equine News: Grand Warrior, owned by The Centaur Syndicate (nominee Craig Danckwerts), trained by Debra Swanson, and with Norbert Takawira up, won the 1800m Classified Stakes at Borrowdale Park on November 19, 2022.

The Round Table Pinnacle Plate (90) will be run over 2700m at Borrowdale Park this week – and the field includes three former winners of the 2400m Zimbabwe Derby (GR3), the third leg of Zimbabwe’s Triple Crown.

For a change, there has been some welcome rain about, but hopefully any deluge will hold off until late afternoon on Saturday. I may be wrong but, perhaps, this time, it’s a case of can the boys – Wantage and Three To Tango – beat the girls?

These are the runners:

1 1 WANTAGE (6G) 60.0 (MR86) W Shumba – Bridget Stidolph

Owner: Messrs R S Dyer, S N Buchan, N Evans, M K Chant, G de Jong, A Dixon, R Morgan, R Sherwood & Bryn Ressell

Breeding: Ato – Angora by Tamburlaine (IRE)

Colours: White and orange checked diamonds, white sleeves, orange cap

As a 3-year-old Wantage won the Guineas Trial, the Tote Free Handicap, the Zimbabwe 2000 and ran second to Lily Blue in the 2400m Zimbabwe Derby in 2020. Since then, he has performed well and won from 1600m to 2000m but has not gone further.

2 4 THREE TO TANGO (7G) 58.5 (MR81) R Satombo – Debra Swanson

Owner: The Swan & Donkey Syndicate (Nom: Richard Linnell)

Breeding: Greys Inn (USA) – Danseuse by Joshua Dancer (USA)

Colours: Turquoise, orange sleeves, turquoise chevrons, striped cap

Three To Tango will sport new colours here and his new owners will be hoping this winner of the 2400m Zimbabwe Derby in 2019 will do well. He has ability and has since won from 1600m to 1900m. He has his days.

3 5 MASAAKEN (AUS) (5M) 56.5 (MR88) N Takawira – Debra Swanson

Owner: Mr D H & Mrs J L co*cksedge

Breeding: Teofilo (IRE) – Lahqa (AUS) by Stratum (AUS)

Colours: Yellow, purple epaulettes, yellow sleeves, purple cuffs, yellow cap, purple peak

This will be Masaaken’s fourth outing at Borrowdale and she won her last start – a 2000m MR 80 Handicap – on July 13. She has won from 2000m to 2850m in Gauteng so is unlikely to run out of steam. Could be the one to beat come Saturday.

4 3 OBSCURE (5M) 55.0 (MR83) M Thackeray – Bridget Stidolph

Owner: Gin’ll Fix It Syndicate (Nom: Miss K Stidolph)

Breeding: Black Minnaloushe (USA) – Mammy Blue (ZIM) by Kitalpha (USA)

Colours: Pink, pink sleeves, turquoise armbands and cap

Obscure has won six races and is comfortable from 1450m to 2200m, but this will be her first attempt at further. At the meeting on November 5, she just managed to hold off a fast-finishing Jubilee over 1600m, but Obscure keeps on giving. She will probably be thereabouts.

5 2 TIGERS EAGLE (4F) 53.5 (MR82) K Derere – Debra Swanson

Owner: Mr C J Danckwerts

Breeding: Flying The Flag (IRE) – Neck Of The Woods by Al Mufti (USA)

Colours: Gold and black checks, gold sleeves, black seams, collar and cuffs, gold cap

Tigers Eagle is the baby here but has plenty going for her having won from 1600m to 2700m, and she seems to enjoy the longer trip. She won the 2400m Zimbabwe Derby on July 13, and her last start on November 8, over 1700m. That day Tigers Eagle carried 58 kgs and beat Tulip Way by 2 lengths. She Is set to carry 53.5 kgs this time.

Photographs by Jenny Stock and Andrew Philip.: This field has clocked up heaps of winners between them. So – a random selection of lead-ins.TOP Wantage (above) Masaaken (below).

Mr Greenlight, trained by Vanessa Birketoft and owned by Gengiz Goksel and Bruce McLauchlan, won the 1200m Pinnacle Plate at Borrowdale Park on Saturday by 3.50 lengths. Munashe Josi was in the irons.

Minor placings went to What A Dandy, Oden and Coachella.

By Gimmethegreenlight (AUS), the winner was bred by Nadeson Park Stud and Mr Greenlight has now won 8 races.

Congratulations.

Photograph by Laurent Viguie.