Castle Tankard: Oldest horse race is back

for the past three years is back at Borrowdale race track.
Delta Beverages have undertaken to bring back one of the most prestigious horse races in Zimbabwe and it will be the feature race on May 21 at Borrowdale Park.
Nominations for the race, which is set to have US$50 000 in stakes, are due on May 3 for the Grade 1 race.
Last year, the Tankard was sponsored by Spar and galloped under the name Spar Tankard with 14 horses accepting to go to the starting stalls.
Winter’s Night from the Lisa Harris stable had jockey Dewi Williams holding the straps as it won the competition last year after coming off the stalls in blistering pace.
In 2009, Chill Out had romped to victory and was ridden by the same jockey who is likely to saddle one of the pre-race favourites from the same stable this year.
Harris can opt to bring in Flushing Numbers for the 2 000m race while Jiminy Cricket could also be thrust in.
Other equine athletes Mrs Bucket, Riche Rich, Sycruse, Just Jude and One Last Trick could also be nominated on May 3.
The Tankard race is characterised by a pedigree of race horses and jockeys of the highest calibre, making it one of the high profile events on the Zimbabwe racing industry.
South Africa’s Mina Salaam could also try to clinch Africa’s oldest sponsored and most prestigious horse race event.
Mina Salaam has continued her local unbeaten streak with a rousing victory over Vincent in the Bloodstock South Africa 2000 at Borrowdale last month. The three-year-old filly came to Zimbabwe in February and has been in impressive form, running under the Harris stable.
The last real Castle Tankard was last held in 2007 while the competition in 2008 was just a low-key event although it had the name Castle.
But with Delta investing back into the horses for courses competitions, it seem like good time will be galloping back for the punters and the Zimbabwe racing industry.
By returning to sponsor the Castle Tankard, Delta becomes one of the biggest investors in Zimbabwe sports as they also injected some money into the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League and the annual Sportsperson of the Year awards. Stakes in races have been competitive and this Sunday sees the running of the Independence Trophy at Borrowdale.
Eight races have been carded with the feature race coming as race seven with seven runners accepting. The race is over 1600m and is open to three years and older horses. There is US$11 250 in stakes with Captains’ Tiger (1) coming from the Kirk Swanson yard and has rider Quinton Riddle.
The Century Stand gelding has won its last two races, beating Chill Out (2). Williams holds the straps on Chill Out which can pose a serious threat to Captain Tiger in this race.
Slendind Tambur (3) by Harris failed to get a place in the last run while Jiminy Cricket (4) also comes from Swanson. Sonic Barrier (5) impressed on his last run while Eight Street (6) could, at best, get a place while the Kitalpha filly Got Personality is at 7.
The last race is the Lotto Agents 1200m handicap with eight runners set to go to the stalls.