…as Zimbabwe’s biggest race day returns free on 9 May
Zimbabwe’s premier horse racing spectacle, the Castle Tankard, returns in grand style on Saturday, 9 May, with a high-quality field of contenders confirmed for the Grade One feature at Borrowdale Racecourse.
Run over 2000 metres on turf, the US$50,000 Castle Tankard now in its 66th edition has attracted a competitive line-up of 20 runners, headlined by some of the country’s most consistent and well-conditioned thoroughbreds.
Leading the entries is Jaeger Moon (60kg), trained by Debra Swanson, who shares top weight honours with stablemate River Power (60kg). The Swanson yard dominates the field numerically and will also saddle strong contenders including Last One Standing (58kg), Magic Exists (57kg), and Majestic Warrior (54.5kg) underlining their intent to control the race.
South African-based jockey talent adds further intrigue, with riders like Piere Strydom Mxoli booked for September Flower (59.5kg), trained by Amy Parham, while seasoned jockey Gavin MacLeod partners Tom’s Diner (58.5kg), another serious challenger.
Trainer Thomas Mason sends out a trio featuring African Beat (57kg), Action Zone (56.5kg) and Pocket Watch (53kg), all carrying competitive weights that could prove decisive over the testing 2000m trip.
Amy Parham also saddles First Wish (57kg) and Queen of Love (54.5kg), both of whom bring consistent form into the race, while Bridget Stidolph’s runners Guerra (54kg) and Solartrip (52kg) add depth to the field.
Other notable entries include Ideal View (56.5kg), King’s Crown (this 54kg) and Coppola (53kg), all from the powerful Swanson stable, as well as outsider hopefuls Pragmatist (52kg) and Captive Moon (52kg), who enters as Reserve 1.
With no apprentice or sex allowances and weights set under weight-for-age conditions, the race promises a pure test of class, stamina and tactical execution.
Off the track, the Castle Tankard remains a cultural highlight, with music superstar Alick Macheso headlining a vibrant entertainment line-up that includes Nisha Ts and Ndunge Yut, ensuring a festival atmosphere throughout the day.
Organisers Castle Lager and the Mashonaland Turf Club have once again opened the gates to the public free of charge.
