Chronicle Editor
Mandla Moyo
THE Mashonaland Owners Trainers Association (MOTA) Ipi Tombe Stakes will be run over 1 600m at Borrowdale Park on 24 February.
As part of the preparations towards they event, the local horse racing custodians Mashonaland Turf Club have received nine entries that will compete for all the slots on offer.
From the list submitted to Mash Turf Club the biggest and most successful stable to date that of Bridget Stidolph has put forward a provision of five horses led by the highly rated Twilight Trip, Simona, Peggson, Pampas and Butchie Boy.
Trainer Penny Fisher threw into the ring Kevin Barry and Master Switch, so did Kirk Swanson who submitted Amsterdam alongside Edward the Seventh. There is stake money of $8 000 which has been declared however, Mash Turf Club are yet to announce how it will be distributed.
According to the racing manager, Betina Gurajena, when all the pre-race qualifying stages have been are done the final list will be pushed out paving way for the preparation of the race card.
“If we add all the entries recorded for the entire races set to take place on this race day 67 nominees have been put in the line of fire by their respective stables for fight for the available slots. This event is held in honour of a trailblazing runner who sent shockwaves locally and international before her retirement.
To date she is enjoying her daily meal of cubes and hay in the USA far from the demanding contests of both Borrowdale and the international battles. What makes her still attract so much attention is that she was a local bred runner of immense abilities.”
As a result of her presence on the track at the racecourse there is a room named after her as an acknowledgement of that.
Horse racing terms of the week
Dark: A day in which a track is not featuring live racing.
Derby: A stakes race for three- year-old horses.
Distance of ground: A route race or a race run around two turns.
Dog: A cone or other obstruction placed at a specified distance from the rail of the turf course to keep horses from damaging that portion of the grass.
Eased: A horse that is pulled up or stopped prior to finishing the race.
Online Reporter