adminAugustine Hwata Senior Sports Reporter
PLEASANT Valley cantered to a half-a-lens win to claim the 16th edition of the Zimbabwe National Army Charity Handicap over 1 800m at Borrowdale Racecourse on Sunday. The eight-year-old bare gelding had a draw of one on the card and finished ahead of seven other runners in the feature event that had US$7 650 in stakes.
With a weight of 52kg and jockey Brendon MacNaughton holding the straps, Pleasant Valley was the oldest race horse in the race and he stopped the clocks in 1 minute 52.69 seconds.
In second place was Fashion Police from the Gorkhan Terzi yard who had Hennie Greyling on board.
The four-year-old bare gelding went to the starting stalls with a draw of four and was number five on the card.
Trainer Kirk Swanson saddled in Captain’s Tiger that carried a top weight of 62kgs and had the services of Sherman Brown as the combination finished third, 1.25lens behind Fashion Police.
At seven years, the Captain’s Tiger was the second oldest equine athlete in the field and had been given very little chance because of inconsistent form.
Candyman, from the Lisa Harris yard, was a full lens behind the Swanson runner although Harris produced the first winner of the day when Casey’s Dance, ridden by Quinton Riddle, won the Mbada Diamonds Maiden Plate, which was race, one by a comfortable six lens.
Before winning the feature race, MacNaughton had earlier in the day ridden Two Buck Chuck from the Amy Bronkhorst yard to a win the Marange Resources Pinnacle Plate over 1100m race three.
The ZNA charity race was also spiced by musical shows as the army seeks to raise US$500 000 for their five charities. The next race meeting at Borrowdale will be the Champion Fillies Stakes on November 17.
Online Reporter