The Sunday News
Mandla Moyo
TOP Zimbabwean jockey and leader on the jockeys’ table, Brendon McNaughton, is set to represent the country this afternoon in the International Jockey Challenge Ngong Racecourse in Kenya.
The event is held annually at Kenya’s only thoroughbred racing course, the Ngong Racecourse, to celebrate the coming of horse racing in the country which dates more than a century years of existence.
“It feels amazing and is a huge confidence boost going forward into the challenge this weekend. It’s also a great feeling knowing I am currently sitting second on the jockey’s log,” said McNaughton.
It will be a big day at Ngong racecourse, featuring the Britam Kenya Guineas, before leaving for Kenyan Brendon had the edge, riding three winners for the Stidolph yard. However, he is going to meet strong opposition in the form of seasoned jockeys from the other participating countries.
The four nation jockey’s challenge will see horse riders from Kenya the host nation, Zimbabwe, Mauritius and South Africa battling it out for the top honours.
He has ridden a number of winners to date proving that he is the crème de la crème in Zimbabwe horse racing. McNaughton is 28 years old and has been riding for close to eleven years, based in Zimbabwe.
Meanwhile, the next race meeting at Borrowdale is the 1600m Classic Fillies race set for running on 10 February. Last week saw the yards forward their entries to Mashonaland Turf Club followed by the weight and draws stage.
On Monday, all parties will converge on the racecourse for the acceptance stage. After this stage MTC is expected to start working on the race card which is expected to be out by Wednesday paving way for the punters to start searching for their possible winners from the field.
Last year the contest was delivered to the yard of trainer Kirk Swanson by Wild Imogen.
Horse racing terms of the week
Colt: A male horse.
Condition: To train a horse
Conditions: The circumstances under which a race will be run, such as: surface, distance, purse, and eligibilities.
Consolation: A payout, typically in a Pick Six, where players without a full winning ticket still receive money, for example, a player that hits 5-of-6 races in the Pick 6 will typically collect a small consolation payout.
Consolations are generally much smaller than the full payout.
Daily Double: A wager in which the player attempts to pick the winner of two sequential races with a single ticket.
