This resting period will provide the horses with a break and give the grounds men the chance to fine tune the race course for the coming season.
The 2014 season was dominated by the filly Equina, who won all but one of the major races – the Castle Tankard, the OK Grand Challenge and the Champions Fillies Stakes. In the Republic Cup she finished second behind Lucky Sam.
On top of the Republic Cup, Lucky Sam was also lucky in the Bloodstock SA, taking the title ahead of Ernie Or Else, and was also a close second in the Castle Tankard.
Supa Challege from the Kirk Swanson yard took the Champions Juvenile Stakes but failed to add the Thoroughbred Breeders Champaigne Stakes to that title after losing out on the line to Picalilly on the last day of racing at Borrowdale Park.
Marco Van Rensburg gave an assured performance on the saddle of Demitasse to take the 2 400 metre Zimbabwe Derby, probably the longest race at the home of Zimbabwe horse racing.
The locally-bred horse was one of the few locals to achieve success at Borrowdale Park race course this season, alongside Captain’s Tiger who won retained his Ipi Tombe title, and a Pleasant Valley who romped home in the Zimbabwe National Army Charity race.
The season also saw an increase in the new horses from South Africa but most of them notably the highly-rated Cotraine as well as the likes of Menacing, Rock The Country, and Gentle Brooke failed to make an impression.
The Mashonaland Turf Club will be honouring the horses, jockeys and trainers who ruled supreme this season but I can safely bet that the Horse of the Year will be Equina.
Post published in: Sport