60 000 expected at Borrowdale

The OK Grand Challenge racemeeting in Harare is undoubtedly Zimbabwe’s
biggest social gathering and 60,000 people are expected to flock to
Borrowdale Racecourse on Saturday, to take in fine Zimbabwean horse racing
whilst hoping to win one of the 44 vehicles being given away or one of the
other myriad prizes.

Other than the top class racing and plentiful on course entertainment race
goers can expect fine fare and refreshing beverages.


Coupons will be provided for the car draw, residential stands, cash draw,
shop easy raffles, lucky dip, horse forecaster and tote bets.


The atmosphere on course is always electric and this enhances the
excitement of the day’s racing.


The action culminates in the running of the Gr 2 OK Grand Challenge over
1800m at 15:25.


The St. John Gray-trained-owned-and-bred Yer-Maan will be attempting to
follow up on his Gr 1 Castle Tankard victory. The handicapper has made his
task harder by raising his merit rating five points, the equivalent of
2,5kg, but he will likely be flying late in the race under champion jockey
Quinton Riddle.


The Alyson Wright-trained Warcraft made a bold bid from the front in the
Castle Tankard and is now 1kg better off with Yer-Maan for a 1,5 length
beating. He will likely prefer this trip and from a much better draw of two
is going to take some catching. He might be the one to beat.


However, Castle Tankard second-placed Lucky Sam has a better chance than
Warcraft on paper. He is 1,5kg better off with Yer-Maan for a 1,25 length
beating and is 0,5kg better off with Warcraft, despite beating him by 0,25
lengths in the Tankard. The weights were set for the Tankard prior to
Warcraft’s previous win, so he came into that race well handicapped, but he
will run off his true handicap mark this time.


Rock The Country and the reigning Zimbabwean Horse Of The Year Equina were
fourth and fifth in the Tankard, but were comfortably beaten and will need
to up their games.


A three-year-old has entered the fray and the Gr 3 Bloodstock South Africa
2000 and Gr 3 Zimbabwe Derby winner Merhaba will be a big runner under his
regular South African pilot Wesley Marwing.


The Gray-trained Norgay ran a bit below par in the Tankard after the
journey from Johannesburg, but he should have settled in by now and should
be cherry ripe so he looks to be a big runner over an ideal course and
distance.


The Seb D’Aquino-trained Two Gun Kid also appeared to need his outing in
the Tankard and should also be at his peak now. He could be an interesting
outsider.


The race looks set to be a thriller, while the day will be as festive as
ever for all, as well as memorable for a few lucky winners.

60000 People???

i would love to see a pic of that.

Not unless they are giving away free Mugabe Bobble Heads will there be so many people.

So a fair amount of those in SA going back home ??!!

Guys why doubt them ?

Bob Brogan wrote: Guys why doubt them ?

I have no doubt they'll get close or maybe even surpass- 44 vehicles would get serious attention - People forget how many people attended the OK Gold Bowl with it's massive marketing drive -Free RESIDENTIAL STANDS would have people flocking to any SA Racecourse too.

The Grand Challenge run by the OK is not just the day at the races. The Grand Challenge promotion is over a few months where shoppers get coupons for how much they spend at the OK. The more you spend the more coupons you get. These coupons then go into the draws for the 40+ cars (barring the double cab which is raffled) and 20+ plots of land. So that is how they create the hype.

Warcraft to make amends.

Racing it`s a rush have just tweeted that this is the highest ever attended meeting in Africa

Mac wrote: The Grand Challenge run by the OK is not just the day at the races. The Grand Challenge promotion is over a few months where shoppers get coupons for how much they spend at the OK. The more you spend the more coupons you get. These coupons then go into the draws for the 40+ cars (barring the double cab which is raffled) and 20+ plots of land. So that is how they create the hype.

Warcraft to make amends.

I wonder where they got the land from.

That first picture,would have been a lot better if they used a flash.

SEEING IS BELIEVING AS 71000 FANS ATTEND THE OK GRAND CHALLENGE



Seeing was believing at Borrowdale racecourse in Harare on Saturday as an
official crowd of 71,399 attended the Gr 2 OK Grand Challenge meeting. The
meeting traditionally attracts a massive crowd, as cars and myriad other
prizes are given away on course, and the record crowd is apparently around
the 80,000 mark.

The St. John Gray-trained-owned-and-bred six-year-old Jam Alley gelding
Yer-Maan now stands on the cusp of history. He followed up on his Gr 1
Castle Tankard victory over 2000m on May 16 to win Saturday’s big race, the
Ok Grand Challenge over 1800m, under ice cool Zimbabwean champion jockey
Quinton Riddle. Riddle held the athletic chestnut up near the back of the
field before producing him with a swooping run down the inside to win by a
length from Thriller In Manila. Yer-Maan never looked to be under any
pressure and was being eased at the line, despite carrying a welter
topweight of 61,5kg. Rock The Country, Equina and Super Trouper were next
best. Yer-Maan will now attempt to become the first horse to ever land the
treble of the Castle Tankard, the Ok Grand Challenge and the Gr 3 Republic
Cup. The latter race over 1900m is to be run on July 11. All three of the
races are handicaps, which makes each successive leg more difficult for a
horse attempting the treble. Last year the Silvano filly Equina won both
the Castle Tankard and the Grand Challenge, but, under a burden of 56,5kg,
the Republic Cup was a bridge too far and she was beaten into second by
Lucky Sam. However, she was named Zimbabwean Horse Of The Year and Yer-Maan
looks set to earn that accolade too. Yer-Maan proved on Saturday he could
carry big weights and it will be interesting to see what the handicapper
does to his previous 103 merit rating as he clearly won more easily than
the official margin suggests.

Clyde Basel, the marketing and sales executive of Phumelela, was on course
and said the event was extremely efficiently organised. The huge crowd
revelled in the festive atmosphere and the day was memorable for most that
attended.