The Sunday News
By Mandla Moyo
A DECENT crowd from all walks of life is expected to converge at Borrowdale race course this afternoon to witness the 2015 edition of the Zimbabwe National Army Charity Handicap race, an open series competition .
This 1 800m long affair programmed as race 7 on the card is on at 16:30 pm.
Running under the theme “It’s people like you who give us the will to carry on”, this year’s edition is expected to serve a Royal menu full of action and drama to all horse racing enthusiasts at the venue and from all corners of the globe who will follow the proceedings as they unfold via live broadcast through the Teletrack television channel on the Multi Choice decoder.
From the $8,000 stake money the winning connection will walk away $4,800 better off leaving the other placed competitors to collect $1,600, $1000 and $600 respectively.
The bookmakers have settled for Equina rated 90 as the favourite to gallop to victory. If this mare and her running mate jockey Serino Moodley get the tactics right during the early stages of this contest nothing will impede her from walking away as the best runner.
Considering that she has won around similar distances, and with current form chances are high that she might knock them over this time again.
Equina seems to be returning to her old self of late. During some of her recent races she has displayed a ruthless finishing pace when winning some of the biggest races on the domestic calendar among them the prestigious Republic Cup Race.
The big question is can she get it right again this time around? Let’s wait for the stall gates to open.
Trainer Gokhan Terzi has unleashed one of his best arsenals to date in the form of Super Trouper also a favourite among the punters. Super Trouper is also rated 90 alongside Equina for this competition.
If there is a horse punters love to follow then this is the ideal horse. In Super Trouper horse fans are assured of returning home with something in their pockets at the end of a race as she is indeed the people’s pride.
Super Trouper is a fierce athlete endowed with excellent running and fighting abilities. Though age seems to be slowly taking its toll on him a place finish is still within touching distance for this 8 year old gelding.
South African based jockey Andrew Fortune will be the pilot. From a total of 58 races this late comer to the party has won 11 times and placed 15 times
Print The Pounds rated 80 an equine from the yard of Bridget Stidolp has a huge chance of giving the favourites a run for their money in this completion.
Bridget Stidolp has given the reigns of the ‘heart break kid’ to seasoned jockey Fanie Chambers.From 12 competitions this horse has won 4 times and placed 7 times falling to scrape a win or a place finish only once during her illustrious career.
During the last racing season Print The Pounds was a marvel to watch, in the process winning three big races in succession and delivering thousands of dollars to the stable. Can he do it again here surrounded by the big boys of the game? Only after the tape has been broken can that question be answered.
When all has been said and done this lean field of eight runners still has capable runners who can stand their ground and make their trainers happy at the end of the day.
Horses to look out for are Merhaba, Thrilla In Manilla, Rock The Country, Tallie Two and Two Gun Kid.
According to one horse racing enthusiast, David Zulu, Equina will run away with the top price. “I am with Equina all the way, I know she will not disappoint me come Sunday”, added David Zulu.
All proceeds from the ZNA Charity Race will be donated to its various institutions dotted across the country.
MTC in conjunction with ZNA have lined up various activities to spice up the day; some of the activities to look forward to are the jumping castle for kids, helicopter displays, parachute jumps and pony rides.
The star of the moment Jah Prayzah, Peter Moyo among other singers will also belt it out at Borrowdale race course.
