Record runners in OK Grand Challenge final field

Eddie Chikamhi Senior Sports Reporter

A TOTAL of 20 horses have been accepted for this year’s OK Grand Challenge which returns at Borrowdale Park next month with a sponsorship of US$70 000.

The field however will comprise of 18 horses and two reserves. The prestigious horse race will be held on June 5 and for the first time the event will be held behind closed doors under the Covid-19 health protocols.

The winner will walk away with a purse of US$35 000 while the first runner-up will take home US$17 500. The third-place finisher pockets US$10 000 while US$7 000 has been set aside for the fourth-place.

For the first time in the history of the race, a record 31 horses were nominated and 28 were declared runners. There were further eliminations to leave an exciting field of 18 led by Gohkan Terzi’s Tandava, who is the only Zimbabwean horse in the race, Bridget Stidolph’s Wantage, Kirk Swanson’s Diesel and Dust, Armstrong, Holy Land and local favourite Dindingwe.

Fortuna Doro and Christofle, both of Stidolph’s yard, have been named as the two reserve runners. The organisers this year had a record number of entrances after 31 nominations were received.

Gokhan Terzi’s stable has produced the biggest number of runners with nine horses while Kirk Swansong has five. Bridget Stidolph has three in the main race and two on the reserve runners list. Ashley Fortune has one horse in the final field – Cash Time.

Mashonaland Turf Club vice-chairman Scott Buchan said the overwhelming nominations resulted in eliminations, probably for the first time, in the 33-year history of the race.

There were 15 horses in the final field when the event was last held in 2019.

OK Zimbabwe Commercial Director, Albert Katsande, welcomed the return of the race after the event was cancelled last year because of Covid-19.

OK Grand Challenge 2021 final field:

Tandava, Peggson, Daffiq, Mr Greenlight, Three to Tango, Wantage, Yarraman, What a Dandy, Finchatton, Gladstone, Armstrong, Bugatti Blue, Fareeq, Diesel and Dust, Dindingwe, Only Him, Cash Time, Holy Land

Reserve Runners: Fortuna Doro, Christofle