ZimFun Racing Club

TRAGEDIES
Very sadly, every now and then we are reminded, in brutal manner, of our own mortality. In the last few days two great guys have been taken well before their time.
Nooresh Juglall was champion jockey in Mauritius last season but was well known around the globe, especially in South Africa, Hong Kong and Singapore.
The Mauritius born jockey was rounding the bend for the home straight on Rule The Night when the horse fell at Champ de Mars racecourse on Saturday 15th May.
Nooresh was racing in last place when the fatal incident occurred
The 29-year-old was greatly respected by other jockeys and Britain's champion rider Murphy was one of those paying tribute to him (Credit: The Sun)
Nooresh hit the ground heavily and his mount brought down another horse nearby who then appeared to land on top of the jockey.
Reports claimed Juglall was rushed to hospital unconscious and 'bleeding profusely'.
He then fell into a coma before sadly succumbing to his injuries.
Reports stated a track crossing the course was spooking horses, leading them to falsely believe they had to jump to clear it.
The commentator calling the action said 'they will have to do something about that road' and four jockeys fell in all on the opening day of racing.
He is believed to leave behind wife Chaaya and two young sons.
Juglall is survived by dad Satanand, mum Kavita, sister Sweta and younger brother Tajesh, also a jockey in Mauritius.
Let us not forget that being a jockey is a bloody dangerous business – travelling at 60 plus kph on a beast that can weigh up to 600kg – next time you feel like giving your jockey a bollocking for a bit of poor race riding, just r emember what I have said – and temper what you say.
Also remember Nooresh and what happened to our own champion Dewi Williams – may they Rest in Peace in a better place.
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It is with an equally heavy heart that I report the passing of Zimbabwean pal and businessman, Mark Tunmer – taken years before his time – following complications with a blood disorder.
Mark was a much respected member of Sunmark Syndicate – famous for Ipi Tombe but also a multitude of other good horses down the years. He served as a Steward of Mashonaland Turf Club where his business acumen and other contributions assisted the Club immensely through difficult times.
Mark was Group Chief Executive Officer of Imara Capital Zimbabwe, the highly regarded Trust and Corporate Services company based on Samora Machel Avenue, Eastlea.
He is survived by Trish – one of the most genuine and considerate ladies on the planet – and their daughter Sarah and son Ian.

What is it that we can draw from these untimely tragedies? It’s is not easy but maybe it’s about making sure we appreciate our friends more – and from now on, maybe it’s about making sure we fill our days, as much as possible, with things we like doing and perhaps it’s about remembering that “everything is sooner than we think”
Rest in Peace Mark

I JUST DON’T BUY IT

Just what else can be wrong with American racing? Their persistent history of drug abuse is both worrying and totally reprehensible – and those involved seem to be able to get away with it.
The latest incident involves Bob Baffert and his Kentucky Durby (not a Derby) winner Medina Spirit which failed a post-race drug test. The c**t was found to have 21 picogrammes of the steroid betamethasone in its sample – twice the legal threshold in Kentucky racing.
Surprise surprise that is the same drug that was found in the system of Gamine, another Baffert trained horse that finished third in the Kentucky Okes (not an Oaks) last September.
Of course Baffert denied any wrong doing! I am not the one etc. etc. He said he didn’t know how Medina Spirit could have tested positive since the horse had never been treated with betamethasone and called it a “complete injustice”
OK…. occasionally a horse can be got at – usually to stop it – that is easier to do apparently – but Baffert has megastars in his yard and thus one must assume security is tight, very tight at all times. If there had been an incident in the past then the whole security issue would have been comprehensive. How then can Baffert explain away 29 failed drug tests over the past four decades – almost one a year?
Give me a break – I don’t know what you might conclude but I know what I think. It stinks and is symptomatic of a much bigger doping problem across America. The bigger issue is that these are not just isolated incidents, failed drug tests are endemic and at the highest levels. They even find their way oversees – even to Meydan.
Fancy lawyers get their clients off the hook – another typical American irritation for me – whereas instead, those caught out need the severest of punishments - short of gelding.
I am not going to bang on further about this but until proper action is taken, racing round the world will be tarred with the same shabby brush – our global industry has enough challenges of its own without the Yanks shooting us in the foot.

HOOFNOTE 1
A proper Derby. Yes Zimbabwe stages its Derby at Borrowdale Park on Sunday 16th May over 2,400 metres over a mile and half.
For a whole variety of reasons – a big one being handicapping consequences – the field is very small, just four runners. The very elegant Sibongile Moyo will most likely be leading her star c**t, Diesel and Dust into the winner’s enclosure but anything can happen in this true Classic race. Centaur Syndicate will be trying to win the race again but whether Magnus Maximus is quite in the league of The Toff or Glen Monarch remains to be seen. The dark horses are Only Him and Rocquette.
One day we will find a sponsor for the Triple Crown but until then, it’s hats off to all generations of MTC Stewards for staying true to proper racing – keeping these great Classics going for current and future generations of racegoers at Borrowdale Park – traditions lost are impossible to replace. Well done.
HOOFNOTE 2
There is still plenty of opportunity to join ZimFun Racing Club – just US$100 for a share and no further regular charges. Contact [email protected] or [email protected] to make a pledge or plan to hand over your dollars.
And now there is even more to enjoy – not only do we have two horses in Zim – with Karoo Winter scheduled to run on OK Grand Challenge Day – Saturday 5th June – we now have a share in two horses racing in Australia! ‘ Streuth! In return for consultancy services rendered or to be rendered I have been given a share (Au$4,000) in AusFun Racing Club – to be operated on the same basis as ZimFun by ex Zimbo horse trainer Mark Ford. No worries mate.

BORROWDALE PARK – INTO THE FUTURE – POSITIVE HORIZONS
I don’t normally do post mortems on race meetings but Guineas Day was a bit special. Not only did we see a return to normal pre and post-race activity in the parade ring – after a very long break – but despite fields being decimated by a virus sweeping all the yards there were some very good races and tight finishes – not least being the Guineas itself.
Whilst I wouldn’t want to put a “columnist curse” on Dindingwe, I have to say that this is a special filly – as is True Beauty. I had thought the boys might give the girls a run for their money but this proved not to be the case – and this despite them being ridden by SA jockeys and notably the champion Gavin Lerena. Local lads, Satombo and Derere drove their charges to a very tight finish, way ahead of Jubilee and Magnus Maximus – with Dindingwe securing the honours. She now heads for the Silver Slipper, the Triple Tiara and the Triple Crown.
I know we don’t have the depth of quality that we used to have years ago but should Dindingwe pull off the Double Triples then she should go down in legend and become a big draw card for all racing enthusiasts at Borrowdale Park in the future. And living legends are important for racing – as well as for the noisy boys who own the great filly!
International interest in Borrowdale – i.e. Tellytrack time – increased on Guineas Day and I put that down to the involvement of Gavin Lerena. Whilst he didn’t ride a winner (Calvin Habib from RSA rode four!) he is clearly a jockey who prompts punters and media moguls to leave the pub to watch him ride.
In our efforts to put Borrowdale back on the map, these are the sort of jockeys we need to attract again. To do that, we need to persuade the SA racing authorities to allow Zim winning rides to be included again in the log of the South African jockey championship – that this is not currently the case is a bit of a disincentive to the likes of Gavin Lerena – especially at a time when copious volumes of paperwork are needed in this Covid era in order to travel to Zim.
We also welcomed Arnold Hyde and his team to Zimbabwe on Guineas Day. Mr Hyde is the NHRA Racing Control Executive whose responsibility is to ensure the integrity of racing in Southern Africa – at all levels. My guess is that this is a tough job and one which does not attract too many friends. Such is the integrity of the man himself that I doubt if this downside element is of much consequence to Mr Hyde – and that is a very good thing indeed.
I have often spoken about the essentiality of racing being squeaky clean and it being perceived to be so – without that, all will be lost. Not only would punters and betting melt away but so too would owner numbers.
How blessed are we to be part of the southern Africa racing community as managed by the NHRA. This stamp of authority is vital to the credibility of racing at Borrowdale Park both now and in the future. But it’s more than that. The NHRA sorts out key racing elements for us such as colours, the Merit Rating system (handicapping), horse registration, Stipendiary stewarding, rules, regulations, disciplinary affairs and dope testing – to mention just a few issues. What a complete dog’s breakfast it would be at Borrowdale Park without this valuable input.
The good news for me, the Board of Stewards and all racing enthusiasts at Borrowdale Park is that the NHRA sentiment about us is strongly in favour of continued close involvement in the years ahead.
Be in no doubt about how important that key bit of information is.
For me, the NHRA involvement is one of the cornerstones of the long term viability of racing at Borrowdale Park – there are other cornerstones which the Board of Stewards are busy crafting and casting but it is good to know that the essential, long term backing of the NHRA is firmly in place. Thankyou Mr Hyde and the NHRA.

THE ULTIMATE CHALLENGE

Despite the many economic challenges which have plagued Borrowdale Park for the past twenty years or so, successful generations of Stewards have carefully navigated a way to ensure the survival of both the Triple Tiara for fillies and the Triple Crown in which both fillies and c**ts can compete. This achievement is all the more laudable as neither series has had any material sponsorship for some considerable time – and still doesn’t.
Both the Tiara and the Crown are races confined to three year olds and run over 1,600, 2000 and 2,400 metres – true Classic distances. The races in each group is set about four weeks apart giving every participant plenty of opportunity to win all three races and hence claim the highly esteemed title/s. Contenders carry the same weights but in the Crown, fillies get a 2.5kg edge. This means the races are true tests of excellence on the part of the horses, but the three distances also require skills sets on the part of both the trainers and the jockeys.
Whilst winning the Tiara is no mean feat, winning the Triple Crown is, in my view, the ultimate challenge for race horse owners in Zimbabwe.
The jewel in the crown of these six races is undoubtedly the Derby – run over 2,400 metres – scheduled for 23rd May 2021. Not only do runners have to be supremely fit and distance suited – this is where the trainer must do her/his bit – but in the running of the race, the jockey needs to be a master tactician and a superbly talented horseman – position and knowing when to press the “GO” button are vital.
(Just as a by the by – any race run over less than 2,400 cannot be called a Derby – but often
There has been racing in Zimbabwe for well over a hundred years – but if my memory serves me correctly, there have only been seven Triple Crown winners. Readers are invited to name them.
Sunday sees the running of the first leg of the Triple Crown – the Guineas – a mile Classic. I will leave other fundis to provide you with tips on the race but this year there are six most worthy contenders thus making it a truly exciting contest and rather unpredictable in terms of outcome.
To add even greater excitement and tension is the presence of South African Champion Jockey (2014/15 – 221 wins) Gavin Lerena – retained by Centaur Syndicate to ride their Jackson gelding, Magnus Maximus in the Guineas and Bugatti Blue in a Merit Rated 90 Handicap over 1,800 metres
Gavin is a hugely talented jockey with 1,865 wins to his name including 13 Group 1s, 33 Group 2s and 29 Group 3s. In recent times he rode the great Hawaam – now exported from South Africa. He has won big races around the world, from Hong Kong to the UK, and is well loved and respected in Zimbabwe where he used to ride with much success for Lisa Harris, partnering such stars as Earl of Surrey.
In different Covid free circumstances, he is the sort of jockey all racing enthusiasts would leave their sofas for to witness live at Borrowdale Park.
But there should be other opportunities to see a star jockey in action, Centaur has retained Gavin for all three legs of the 2021 Triple Crown, the ultimate challenge at Borrowdale Park.

ZimFun is back
Following the exploits of Tricky Business, ZimFun has had a bit of dry spell but now its new filly, Karoo Winter has accepted to race at Borrowdale Park on Sunday 21st March in a Maiden Plate over 1,800 metres.
Thomas Mason has had the task of preparing “Roo” for the race and has opted to bring up SA jockey J Gates to ride her.
Karoo Winter (Futura – Arabian Winter) came up from the Cape at the end of 2020 and settled in well. This will be her first run – and first on a clockwise track.
The meeting takes place behind closed doors to a degree - which means no ZimFunner can enter the parade ring before or after the race – and max fifty to attend the balcony gathering. Don’t be tempted!
Should she win!? Well, there is a draw on the ZimFunners WhatsApp Group – one lucky number between 1 and 100 will give the picker the right to lead her in – go there and learn how to take part.
It’s going to be great to see those fun silks back at Borrowdale – but will the imogi be a smiley one or a sad one? Obviously a smiley one would be much preferred.

HOOFNOTE 1
If you would like to get in on the ZimFun action, there are plenty of shares left in the pot.
E mail your pledges to either [email protected] or [email protected]
It’s just US$100 per share – a paltry price for the ZimFun to be had.