Castle Tankard set to delight

THIS year’s Castle Tankard Race one looks tricky and competitive, with 15 horses expected to jostle for supremacy at the Borrowdale Race Course next weekend.
Zimbabwe’s biggest horse racing event will be held on May 16 with horses measuring strides over the sprinting distance of 2 000 metres.
This promises to be a classic horse-racing event.
Many analysts said inform South Africa-based three-year-old, All The Bids, stand out as an excellent bet at the race course.
It’s expected to fly through the homestretch to win the lucrative prize money to the tune of US$30 000.
The Corne Spies-trained gelding is competing at the country’s most prestigious horse racing event for the first time.
“At 52 kilogrammes, that’s the sort of weight that win races, “said one analyst adding that “the horse (All the Bids) is in top form and has been winning races in South Africa.”
All The Bids, the youngest horse in this year’s competition, has been in smashing form of late and has won seven titles so far in South Africa.
The horse has been been outstanding and is expected to be the main attraction of the day.
Other debutants to join All The Bids are Norgay, Warcraft and local horse Glorious Jet at the horse racing event.
Gloroius Jet is trained by Gokhan Terzi, who has two other entries in the race – Super Trouper and Rock the Country.
The country’s largest brewer, Delta Beverages, will again bank-roll the event to the tune of US$50 000.
The winner of the most-anticipated and competitive race on the Zimbabwean horse racing calendar, will take home US$30 000.
The horse that comes second will receive US$10 000 while the third placed gets US$6 000.
The fourth-placed horse will get US$3 000 while the fifth-placed horse will receive US$1 000.
The other South African challengers in the race include five year old Equina from the Amy Bronkhors stable.
Last year, Equina, which was ridden by the hugely talented Zimbabwe–born jockey Karl Zechner won the Castle Tankard race, but is badly out of form at the moment.
Even the stable trainer, Bronkhors, admitted that other horses will give Equina a tough time for the race.
“We are looking forward but it’s going to be tough for Equina this year.”
Equina romped to victory in a time of 119,47 seconds ahead of A King is Born.
Pre-race favourite Coltrane settled for third place while South African-based Super Trooper claimed fourth place.
Apart from winning the Castle Tankard last year, Equina, also won the OK Grand Challenge and came second in the Republic Cup.
But she has not been impressive this season so far.
Although she won the Zimbabwe National Army Charity Stakes, she has been a big disappointment in the other races she has taken part in.
In the history of the Castle Tankard, only two horses-Taranaki and Fashion Maker – have won the competition more than once.
Taranaki won the Castle Tankard in 1978 and 1979 while Fashion Maker won it in 1997 and 1999.
Zechner, next week is set to ride Thriller in Manila on the track, which is also trained by Bronkhors.
Kirk Swanson who trains local horse, Mighty Sha, is also targeting to win the 2015 Castle Tankard to add to the four wins under his belt already.
The former Zimbabwe champion trainer, Swanson, has won Castle Tankard race four times in a row between 2005 and 2008 with Sports Record (2005), Reflectadanzig (2006), Muscat Express (2007) and Moon Horse (2008).
Mashonaland Turf Club chairman, Brian Black said: “With the biggest stake money on offer, one can only anticipate an exciting and nail biting grand finale come the big day on May 16.”
Delta Beverages general manager, Munyaradzi Nyandoro, said the racing event was growing bigger and better.
“The Castle Tankard horse race has left a formidable mark to reckon with in our horse racing fraternity,” said Nyandoro.
“It has stood the test of time, and is growing bigger and better every year. It is a race with a history to our country. It is a race which has helped to develop communities around us through employment creation.
Let me assure you that this year’s field will have serious horses that will help create excitement around the event,” he said.