Zebaldt Ngaruka 

Namibia’s top racehorses Queen Brittania and Sunny Side from Angermund Racing and Professor Supporters Club, respectively, won the main races at the FNB July Handicap, staged at Okahatjipara in the Okondjatu area on Saturday.

The Thoroughbred 2 400 metres (m) race attracted close to 90 racehorses, which battled it out in 17 sprints. 

Queen Brittania bagged first place, thus taking home
N$20 000. 

Okahandja Racing Starlile finished second, winning
N$15 000, whereas Action Time took third place, with a cash prize of N$10 000.

Woodland Ridge and Visigoth claimed fourth and fifth places, respectively.

Last year’s winner, Earl of Cardigan, who was doubtful to take part this year, came sixth in the highly-contested sprint. 

In the Nambred category, champion horse Sunny Side bagged N$13 500 for taking first place, while Harambee Racing’s horse Boma took second place and N$ 8 100, leaving behind Lady Diamond from Aminuis Racing in third position with a prize of N$5 400.

The top winners in the competition are Naro Empire from Kalahari Turf Club, who emerged victorious in the 1 000m race of Nambred maiden horses.

Epukiro Racing’s Shining Diamond triumphed in the
1 000m and 1 600m races of the Nambred graduation horses, while Talk to Me from Balabala Stables won the 1 000m and
1 800m distances of the Nambred D Division horses. 

Willem Lotsch, the owner of Queen Brittania, said his horse’s performance brought joy to the club. “I am very proud of Queen. We took a chance and won. This is a graduation horse, but it won amongst the top horses in the country like Starlile,” he said.

Queen Brittania also won the Winter Derby, organised by Okahandja Racing in the Garden Town on 29 June.

The next racing event under Khomas Turf Club is scheduled for 24 August 2024 in
Okahandja. 

-zngaruka@yahoo.com