Online Reporter
Veronica Gwaze and Takudzwa Chitsiga
Zimpapers Sports Hub
DEBRA Swanson is showing no signs of slowing down after fielding nine of the nominated 20 horses set to race at this year’s Castle Tankard Horse Race.
Set to run under the theme “Live It, Feel It, Share It”, the 66th edition of the competition is scheduled to be held on May 9, at the Borrowdale Race Course.
Veteran trainer Swanson leads the perk with nine horses in the pool while competitors Bridget Stidolph, Amy Parham and Thomas Mason are coming in with three runners each.
Interestingly last year, Swanson also led the competition after fielding eight of the 16 horses that took part in the race.
She fielded Action Zone, a five-year-old gelding with rider Mathew Thackeray and won the US$50,000 in the Southern Africa’s longest-sponsored horse race.
“We are happy that this year the competition has increased, this is perhaps the first time in years that we have 20 horses running,” she said.
“It will not be an easy competition, but we are looking forward to the best times on the day.”
Fellow trainer Mason is also looking forward to intense competition.
“It has been almost 10 years since we last had a field of more than 18 sprinters including reserves, an indication that this competition is growing and attracting some attention,” he said.
