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

Zimbabwe Guineas winner Call The Wind will not run in the Zimbabwe 2000, second leg of Zimbabwe’s Triple Crown, at Borrowdale Park on Sunday so the field is reduced to four.

Of these Tigers Eagle and Regulate are probably the pick, but none of the runners can be discounted, as all will be racing over 2000m for the first time.

Tigers Eagle, the winner of the 1600m Tote Free Handicap, was second to Call The Wind in the recent 1800m Silver Slipper, while the lightly raced Regulate was only a quarter of a length behind Call The Wind in the 1600m Zimbabwe Guineas on March 6. This was Regulate’s first taste of racing around the turn.

Regulate and Tigers Eagle have yet to take each other on and I hesitate to predict the outcome. Tigers Eagle is extremely well-bred and has all the staying credentials, while Regulate is by Ato, the sire of Wantage who won the Zim2000 in 2020. On Sunday Rodgers Satombo will ride Tigers Eagle, and Teaque Gould is on Regulate.

The Twice Over filly Cutback’s heart goes a long way towards making up for what she lacks in size, but the winner of the 1600m Guineas Trial has been well held by Tigers Eagle previously. On Sunday Jarryd Penny has the ride.

Cutback’s stablemate, Master Ming, will have Kevin Derere on board, and thank goodness this pair have come to the party. Master Ming, by Toreador, has yet to shine over longer trips, but you know what they say about small fields and big upsets, so we shall see.

It is most unfortunate that six-time winner Call The Wind will not be part of Sunday’s line-up but in recent years the Zimbabwe 2000 has been beset by small fields. However, the end result was always memorable and exciting racing.

The connections of Sunday’s runners must be commended for their support. When the going gets tough the tough keep going and Borrowdale fans appreciate this.

Photographs by Zimbabwe Equine News

The Zimbabwe 2000, second leg of the Zimbabwe Triple Crown, is due to be run at Borrowdale Park on April 3, and five three-year-olds have been nominated. At this stage we don’t know who will stand their ground and take part in the race. Final acceptances are due on Monday.

This will be the first time any of the nominees have raced over 2000m. When stamina comes into play the focus moves to breeding. JACKIE co*ckSEDGE, formerly of the Zimbabwe Thoroughbred Breeders Association, agreed to share her notes on how the 2022 Zimbabwe 2000 ‘possibles’ might shape.

CALL THE WIND
By Twice Over out of Silvan Wind by Silvano. Dam won 3 races from 1400 to 1600m. The 2nd dam, Capture The Wind, won 5 races from 1200-1400 metres, including the Diamond Stakes. She is the dam of 8 winners from 10 runners and a half-sister to ARCSA HORSE OF THE YEAR and 1985 Champion 3-year-old filly, Enchanted Garden.

CUTBACK
By Twice Over out of Suedette by Dynasty. On breeding there are no stamina limitations. Dam won from 1400 to 1600 metres. There is not a lot of depth in the pedigree of the female line though.

MASTER MING
By Toreador out of Madame Ming. I always associate Toreador as a sire of sprinters, although I stand to be corrected. The dam won two races over 1800 metres. She bred 6 winners; her best performer was the 8-time winning Jet Master gelding, Monsieur Et Madame. The family of Wegener Hof and The Eiger Sanction, both black-type performers.

REGULATE
By Ato out of Dictate by Silvano. Dictate won 2 from 1800-1950 metres. The 2nd dam Trading Up won 5 races up to 1600 metres and bred 4 winners including the stakes placed Two Gun Kid and Mercado.
His sire Ato is by Royal Academy (a son of Nijinsky). Ato won 9 races up to 1600 metres including the Grade 1 Krisflyer Sprint.

TIGERS EAGLE
By Flying The Flag out of Neck Of The Woods by Al Mufti. The 2nd dam Dogwood was Champion 3- Year-Old Filly in 1998.
Dam won 2 races over 1600 metres and bred 6 winners including the useful 8-time winner Mangrove, who won up to 2700 metres. Like CALL THE WIND, this filly descends from the family of Enchanted Garden.

Photograph Zimbabwe Equine News. Finish of 2021 Zimbabwe 2000 won by Diesel And Dust, followed by Mazikeen, Dindingwe and True Beauty.

Both What A Dandy and Lily Blue have increased Merit Ratings after winning at Borrowdale Park on Sunday, March 20, 2022. What A Dandy is now on 101, and Lily Blue on 99

UP
State Your Case +4(50); Cool Solution +2 (61); Kursk +2 (64); Viscountess Vivien +2 (64); Mind Master +2 (80); What A Dandy +5 (101); Lily Blue +5 (99).

DOWN
Al Mashriq -1 (61); Aneksi -5 (53); Differentiate -1(60); Magnus Maximus -3 (75); Bam Bam Pebbles -3 (69); Yarraman -2 (92); Wantage -1 (91).

NOT RATED PREVIOUSLY
Cha Vez (48) and Mustatheef (62).

Photograph Zimbabwe Equine News.

The Debra Swanson yard was in good form on Sunday, saddling three winners including the two veteran stalwarts, Cool Solution and What A Dandy.

The nine-year-old Mullins Bay (GB) gelding, Cool Solution, with Teaque Gould up, just held off stable companion Mill Reef in the 1100m Al Kahtan MR 70 Handicap. He has now won 11 races and been placed 40 times from 77 runs.

Gould and Viscountess Vivien came next in the 1700m Lamante Classified Stakes, but the star of the show was What A Dandy (Norbert Takawira) who won the 1100m Thriller Pinnacle Plate 105, beating Mr Greenlight by 6 lengths.

What A Dandy, owned by John Koumides is a seven-year-old gelding by Just As Well (USA) and this was his 13th victory.

Congratulations to all the winning connections.

Photograph of What A Dandy by Zimbabwe Equine News.

Call The Wind has now won all her six starts, adding the Nadia Farina Silver Slipper (L) to her tally at Borrowdale Park on Sunday.

This is the second leg of Zimbabwe’s Triple Tiara, and Call The Wind won the first leg, the Fillies Classic, in February.

It seems Gengiz Goksel’s champion three-year-old filly stands alone amongst her peers. Trained by Vanessa Birketoft of V Racing, with Calvin Habib in the irons, Call The Wind made every post a winning one. The daughter of Twice Over (GB) finished 3.50 lengths clear of Tigers Eagle and her breeders, Ascot Stud (Pty) Ltd, can be proud.

Earlier in the afternoon, V Racing saddled another two winners. Mustatheef (C Habib) won the 1100m Coral Tan Maiden Plate, and Mind Master (C Habib) triumphed in the 1450m Tiger Cat MR 85 Handicap.

A very good day taken all round. Congratulations.

Photographs Zimbabwe Equine News.

The Lily Blue we know was back at Borrowdale Park on Sunday, winning the 2000m Changa Breeders Champions Cup (L) convincingly.

Jarryd Penny and the daughter of Black Minnaloushe (USA) played a waiting game until the field turned for home, but when Lily Blue changed gear it was race over. Heir Line, Bugatti Blue and Yarraman filled the minor places – winning margins 1.75, 5.00, and 2.00 lengths.

Lily Blue, trained by Bridget Stidolph has now won 12 races, and she was bred by Geoff Armitage out of a Kitalpha (USA) mare. The five-year-old star is owned by Robyn Macleod and the Gin’ll Fix It Syndicate (nominee Kirsty Stidolph).

Congratulations everyone!

Photographs Zimbabwe Equine News

The first race at Borrowdale Park today (Sunday, March 20) is off at 12 noon and the two features on the card are the Nadia Farina Silver Slipper (L) and the Changa Breeders Champions Cup (L).

On Wednesday and Thursday, the course probably received in excess of 70mm of rain.

The meeting can be viewed on DSTV Channel 240 – and the Borrowdale Park Livestream will be on Clocking The Gallop on UTube.

Tips, Final Fields, Online Card, Card Changes etc can be found on this site

Have a wonderful afternoon.

Please follow the link below to view or download Sunday’s online race card:

https://mcusercontent.com/2a1c7dfa1eb4e4b185607f5a6/files/919066ca-18b3-5fe0-2797-ba6c2f493f7a/20_MARCH_2022_RACE_CARD.pdf

Several punters’ pets such as Lily Blue, Call The Wind, Finchatton and Coachella, are due to compete at Borrowdale Park on Sunday which should add up to interesting racing.

There are two feature races on the card – the Nadia Farina Silver Slipper (L) over 1800m, and the 2000m Changa Breeders Champions Cup (L) – due off at 14 45 and 15 25 respectively.

The Silver Slipper is the second leg of Zimbabwe’s Triple Tiara and Guineas winner Call The Wind already has the first leg, the 1600m Fillies Classic, in the bag. There is little reason to suppose this classy filly will not score again although there is a newcomer to Borrowdale in the line-up. This is Midfield Girl, by Alado (GB). She has been placed twice at Turffontein over 1600m and her last start there was on February 27.

Nor has two-time winner Tigers Eagle met Call The Wind before.

Finchatton, fresh from his Ipi Tombe Stakes victory over a mile, carries top weight in the Breeders Champions Cup, and the field includes last year’s winner, Wantage, as well as Bugatti Blue who ran third to Peggson in 2020.

Lily Blue makes her second appearance here after campaigning down south. Her last outing at Borrowdale was in November so she may be short of a race but is distance suited so this will be interesting.

Yarraman, Fareeq and Heir Line will complete this field. Yarraman finished 3.50 lengths off Wantage in 2021 and claiming Apprentice Walter Shumba rides on Sunday. Fareeq can always surprise but might prefer slightly shorter, while Heir Line is distance suited but will have to dig deeper here.

At the last Borrowdale meeting, Bugatti Blue and Heir Line finished behind Obscure in a 2000m MR 85 Handicap where Bugatti Blue beat Heir Line by a whisker while conceding 4.5 kgs. Heir Line should be half a kg better off on Sunday.

I won’t strain my brain with more basic arithmetic – just expect a very good race.

Coachella fluffed it in heavy going on February 6 in a 1260m Open Handicap won by Fareeq, but the sprinting champ likes 1100m and should do better in Sunday’s Pinnacle Plate 105 – although it is a pity about the draw. All of Love To Bluff, Mr Greenlight and What A Dandy will make a race of this, and Diesel And Dust races up the straight for the first time ever.

The son of Futura has not raced since early in June so watch for now – I would think.

The first race on Sunday is due off at 12 noon.

Photographs by Zimbabwe Equine News.

The Centaurian says…

Whilst weenjoy the thrill of racing at one of the finest racecourses in the world – namely Borrowdale Park – and think there is scope for much improvement – there are others whose lot is best described as dire. Seriously dire.

This week I would like us all to spare a thought for the horse racing industry in Ukraine.

There are two race tracks in Kyiv and neither has operated since crazy man Putin launched an invasion into that sorry country two weeks ago. It is hardly surprising. What is worthy of our awe is the fact thattrainers and owners are still risking life and limbto go out of Kyiv each day to the racecourse stables to feed and care for some 350 horses – just 20km from where the front line is on fire.

They have enough feed to keep their charges alive for about a month but thereafter all will depend on them having access to those villages from where hay may be purchased and transported back to the stables without being blown to kingdom come.

The situation at Odessa seems even more fraughtwith the Russians set for the coast, ready to bombard and then invade. The course was built by the Tsars in 1890. Here, they and the other wealthy hoipoloy gathered to see, be seen, drink champagne, eat caviar and bet on the best horseflesh in the Russian Empire. Much has changed since then.

The racing industry was on its knees before Putin’s intervention with purses reported to be as little as US15 per race – yet the horses were and are being cared for properly – so far.

Clearly, there is absolutely nothing we in Zimbabwe can do – apart from praying for an early cessation of hostilities and a return to some sort of sanity in that part of Europe.

It seems clear to me that the Ukrainians are not going to give up and become vassals of Putin and his cronies. They are brave and determined not to lose. If I am right, this means Putin must fail.Let’s hope this all happens sooner rather than later – bringing respite to all Ukrainians and their horses.

The Centaurian10 March 2022

Regulate finished 0.25 lengths behind Zimbabwe Guineas winner Call The Wind on Sunday (6 March 2022) and now has a Merit Rating of 72. Keen Spirit was dropped to MR58, and the rest of the Guineas runners were unchanged.

More Merit Rating changes:

UP
Chetan +13 (MR58); Mill Creek +2 (MR54); Emily’s Song +6 (MR56); Assume +2 (MR55); Tradition +5 (MR75); Deposition +4 (MR64); Viscountess Vivien +2 (MR62); Obscure +5 (MR72); Only Him +2 (MR 94); Regulate +12 (MR72).

DOWN
Apache Gold -3 (MR60); Cosmic Rush -4 (MR38); Queen Of Dallas -2 (MR54); Aneksi – 5 (MR58); Sweet Opportunity – 2 (MR55); Hawi -4 (MR47); Val Gardena -2 (MR48); Wijdaan -1 (MR73); Peaceable -1 (MR67); Kursk -1 (MR62); Cool Solution -2 (MR59); Three To Tango -4 (MR81); Armstrong -2 (MR88); Keen Spirit -3 (MR58).

Photograph by Zimbabwe Equine News: Call The Wind held off a challenge from Regulate in the 2022 Zimbabwe Guineas

Call The Wind, with Calvin Habib in the irons, won the Zimbabwe Guineas (GR3) at Borrowdale Park this afternoon, but the Ato gelding, Regulate, and Teaque Gould, certainly made a race of it.

By Twice Over (GB) and out of a Silvano (GER) mare, Call The Wind has now won all of her five starts. She is owned by Gengis Goksel, trained by Vanessa Birketoft, and bred by Ascot Stud (Pty) Ltd. Lady Sanza and Cutback finished third and fourth respectively.

The Zimbabwe Guineas is the first leg of Zimbabwe’s Triple Crown.

Congratulations everyone – it was a great race.

Photograph by Gavin Macleod.

Call the Wind goes for her fifth consecutive win in the Zimbabwe Guineas (GR3) at Borrowdale Park tomorrow (Sunday 6 March 2022).

The first race is off at 12 15 and the Guineas will be run at 15 40.

For those who cannot be on course, the Borrowdale Livestream will be on ClockingTheGallop on UTube. Final Fields, Tips, Card Changes etc will be posted on this site.

To view or download the Borrowdale Park Race Card please click on https://mcusercontent.com/2a1c7dfa1eb4e4b185607f5a6/files/72d7c1dc-8a97-3c1f-7ce4-3246a1c5aa1f/6_March_2022_RACE_CARD.pdf

This should be a great day.