There was so much difference on offer for punters who got it right in the main feature races at Borrowdale Race Course as the Guineas Trial and the Hachiman Sprint offered far much varying dividends with the Hachiman Sprint very much on the low side.
By Michael Kariati
The two major feature races had to be held on the same day as the Hachiman Sprint, which had been earmarked for January 4, had to be rescheduled due to the heavy rains that pounded the whole country in that particular week.
While the Guineas Trial was offering huge financial pickings, the same could not be said of the Hachiman Sprint which was won by On this Rock which offered only US$5 for a totalisator win compared to Mica Point who took the Guineas Trial title and dished out US$11,70 for the same totalisator win.
Mica Point opened betting at 5/1 and closed at 6/1 while On This Rock closed on 4/1 having opened at 3/1.
In fact, Mica Point offered twice what On this Rock gave out after the Corne Spies trained On This Rock came home a split 0,10 lens ahead of Picallily from the Alyson Wright stable and Thriller in Manila from the Amy Bronkhorst yard.
In fourth place to make up the quartet was Lisa Harris’ Alula Borealis. The quartet was at only US$354,40 for the Hachiman Sprint compared to US$815,30 for the Guineas Trial. Tallie Two was second in the Guineas Trial followed by Eversolucky and Supa Challenge. For the trifectar, the Guineas Trial offered US$688,80 for every dollar placed while the Hachiman Sprint was on US$90,40.
Tallie Two closed betting at 14/1, while Eversolucky was at 4/1. The Guineas Trial was also way up in its offering in the swingers as the combination of Mica Point and Tallie Two was at US$12,40 while Eversolucky and Tallie Two dished out US$6,90. There was US$3,50 for the taking for those who combined Mica Point and Eversolucky.
These figures were far much higher than what was on offer in the swingers in the Hachiman Sprint as On This Rock and Picallily were at US$3. On This Rock and Thriller in Manila offered US$1,90 while Picallily and Thriller in Manila were at US$2.
Picallily paid out at 11/2 while Thriller in Manila was also among the favourites at 14/10.
The combinations for the winning horses were also rewarded as Mica Point took home US$5 400 for winning the Guineas Trial. Tallie Two received US$1 800 while third placed Eversolucky received US$1 125. There was something too for Supa Challenge who went home with US$675 for coming fourth.
There was US$4 860 for the taking for On This Rock in the Hachiman Sprint while US$1 620 went to Picallily. Thriller in Manila received US$1 012 while Alula Borealis got US$608.
The Hachiman Sprint is the fourth leg of the Sprinter Series and On This Rock now leads the Series with two titles having earlier won the HIRB Gold Cup which was the second running in the competition.
Super Trouper who was disappointing when coming seventh in the Hachiman Sprint won the third leg of the Series, the Zimbabwe Challenge which was held a week before racing at Borrowdale Race Course went on break for the Christmas and New Year holidays. The final leg of the Sprinter Series is the Breeders Sprint which will come way ahead in July.
Punters will have to wait until January 25 to place their bets when racing resumes at the home of Zimbabwe horse racing.
