Simona shines at OK Grand Challenge

By Veronica Gwaze

A few weeks after producing a Castle Tankard winner, trainer Bridget Stidolph was smiling after her four-year- old horse Simona romped home to victory in the OK Grand Challenge race at Borrowdale Park yesterday.

Simona came second to stable mate Roman Discent at the Castle Tankard on May 7 but yesterday it was time for the four-year old horse to shine.

Instead, it was stable mate Simona, with Calvin Habib on the saddle, which beat a field of 13 horses to win the 30th edition of the OK Grand Challenge race in front of thousands who thronged Borrowdale Park yesterday.

It was Habib’s maiden race and he showered praises to his horse.

“This girl has a very special place in my heart, I liked and wanted to be with her from the very start and from the experience I have had with her I knew she was good,” said Habib.

“This is my first time competing in a race as a qualified rider after graduating as an apprentice under Stidolph.

“I always had a feeling that all the plans, training efforts and the experience of the tankard race she could make it because Simona is a winner and all I did was to make sure she takes the lead and let her roll,” he said.

Elated with a superb show, trainer Stidolph said despite not emerging top in her maiden race, she knew Simona would prove herself in the Grand challenge race.

“This has been an absolutely phenomenal race, since the day she arrived in my yard, she has been a good girl and easy to work with.

“Although she participated and failed to top in the Tankard, I never lost hope in her but we kept training even harder in anticipation of this big race.” The Sunday Mail