Super Trouper wins the Zimbabwe Challenge (Pic:: Gavin MacLeod)
Super Trouper won the US$9 000 Zimbabwe Challenge run over 1400m at Borrowdale Park on Sunday. However Gokhan Terzi’s charge had to fight off at-the-death challenges from both Thriller In Manila and Alula Borealis, writes Sheldene Chant.
At the line only 0.15 of a length separated the first three horses and full marks to Brendon McNaughton for keeping his cool when he had both Karl Zechner and Denicious Smith breathing fire right behind him.
Super Trouper was bred by Clifton Stud and is by West Man (USA) out of Queen Of Dance by Rambo (CAN)
This was his 9th win from 49 runs and he has been placed 12 times.
Earlier in the afternoon Zechner scored in the 1200m Maiden Plate on Say So Tiger, a four-year-old Tiger Dance gelding sent out for the first time in Harare by trainer Amy Bronkhorst.
Gavin Lerena gets Flintstone up to beat Merhaba (Pic: Gavin MacLeod)
It was good to have Gavin Lerena back in the saddle at Borrowdale.
Riding for the Harris yard Lerena won the 2000m MR 84 Handicap with Menacing, then immediately followed up with Flintstone in the 1800m Maiden Plate. This was another hair-raising finish as Merhaba looked to have it made when Flintstone caught him. Better luck next time apprentice Serino Moodley – it was a fine qualifying ride anyway.
Altogether, it was a memorable afternoon for Assistant Trainer Bridget Stidolph. Denicious Smith aboard the A P Answer filly, Print The Pounds, completed the Harris stable hat-trick when winning the 1700m MR 65 Handicap with ease.
Bridget Stidolph – Assistant Trainer at Harris Racing – three winners on Sunday. (Pic: Rose Dorward)
Another A P Answer filly, A P Ikhaja, fresh off the float and with a recent third at Turffontein under her belt, made short work of the 800m Maiden Juvenile Plate – first of the 2014/15 ‘baby’ races in Zimbabwe. Trained by Corne Spies and ridden by apprentice Collen Storey, AP Ikhaja was seven lengths clear of the Gharir filly, Starry Notions.
Spies also won the last race, a 1300m Mr 65 Handicap, with another newcomer, White Whisper. This five-year-old mare, by Var, had previously won two races and Francois Naude was in the irons.
Taken all round this was a good day at the races.
Recent rain resulted in a slight change in the going and no doubt most of the runners appreciated a bit of give in the ground. The starting team managed to load three huge fields and a bunch of ‘babies’ with only a few minor hiccups. Although the clouds threatened the rain stayed away.
Unfortunately the next Borrowdale Park race meeting is only on 4 January.
