Castle Tankard on cards

Sports Reporter

BRIDGET STIDO and Debra Swanson yards are dominating this year’s Castle Tankard race meeting set for Borrowdale Park and Racecourse on Saturday.

The two stables have produced four runners each for the country’s premier race.

Defending champion Ideal View from the Swanson yard will headline the race that will see the winner walking home US$25 000 richer.

Stido yard will be led by Wantage and Citrudal in the 12-horse line up.

Twelve-runners will take to the starting stalls in the oldest sponsored horse racing event in Africa, which is bankrolled by beverages manufacturing giants Delta through their flagship beer brand Castle to the tune of $50 000.

In addition to the favourites Ideal View and Raffles, Dindingwe, who finished second in 2023 just ahead of the absent Down To Business, has also been accepted for the 2024 Castle Tankard Grade one race and opened betting at 8/1.

Trainer Bridget Stidolph has identified Dindingwe alongside Ideal View and Raffles as the dangers in the 2000 metre race.

During last Tuesday’s final acceptances bookmakers placed Peter Baar’s Tradition as the heavy outsider at 25/1 followed by Admirals’ Chance from the Debra Swanson stable at 20/1.  There is also expectations on Jack Sparrow, Citrusidal, Wantage, Holy Land and Majestic Warriors to compete in the Castle Tankard horse race, following their disastrous performance in 2023.

With the exception of Holy Land, jockeys have not yet been announced.

But, the four trainers sharing the small field are Gavin MacLeod, Debra Swanson, Army Parham and Stidolph .