Suburban
AFTER an incredible first year and the purchase of two horses — one from Johannesburg and one from Cape Town the two horses had six starts delivering six places at Borrowdale Race Course.
These included — one win, one second position, three third position and a fourth position. The performances have brought so much excitement- there is nothing like it . . . except perhaps watching your own child in a tough race.
So, a very happy group of ZimFunners started the new racing year with more shareholdings to buy the next horse. The club’s racing year runs from October through to September the next year when all race horses turn a year older.
During that first year — excitement stretched outside Zimbabwe’s borders and ZimFunners collected four other horses, three in Australia and one in Ireland from enthusiastic racegoers who wanted a share in the fun.
During the early part of the 2021/2022 season the enterprising ZimFunners chairperson John Smith arranged remarkable trades using his broad knowledge and connections.
Thus on December 4th 2021, last Saturday, ZimFunners went to the races owning five runners (nearly one horse in each race) and race two produced a significant victory.
Their collection for the afternoon added up with a fourth place and two fifth place finishes.
Those interested are invited to share this glory with ZimFunners for just $100 per person for the whole season till September 2022. (get in touch at [email protected].
A shareholding gives horse race lovers the advantage that you can take part in all aspects of a race meeting including,
◆ Free entrance to the main stand,
◆ Join the WhatsApp group and get reports straight from the trainers.
◆ WhatsApp group also includes reports from the experts both before and after the race
◆ Entry into the parade ring to meet your jockey and to give your horse a pat should they win.
◆ If you are brave enough you can lead in the winner and be seen on TV
◆ Following the race you receive the video of the whole race by WhatsApp.
◆ For the horses outside the country — inside information as above and direction as to when to view the race on TV
◆ A Certificate showing your name and that you are a share-holder – for your office wall!
◆ This is a very different experience to being in a syndicate.
◆ An AGM in October when a full set of accounts is presented.
John Smith, one of the founders of the ZimFun Racing Club, told Suburban last year, that the syndicate realised that Borrowdale Race Course was under-utilised hence the decision to form the racing club.
“I have to tell you that Borrowdale Park is one of the finest turf courses in the world and I’ve been to quite a few. But it is grossly underutilized — for reasons which we don’t need to go back over, save to say that Zimbabwe has had quite a few troubled years. The track is superb, the stands are impressive, the paddock is legendary and there is bags of room for a great many more owners on the balconies and in the bars.
“The problem I see is that the new generations coming through nowadays are inundated with alternative recreational pursuits where involvement and access is easy and cheap. To be honest racing has not spotted the trends and as a result has gotten left behind in many ways. ZimFun is intended to attack this trend at many levels. Firstly, ZimFun provides an amazingly low cost point of entry for what could be an expensive sport,” said Smith.
Since ZimFun Racing Club’s first horse Tricky Business started taking part in races with some impressive performances, horse racing pundits have predicted a promising future for the club’s horses in racing competitions.
