Borrowdale,Harare: Horse racing returned to the centre of Harare’s social calendar on Saturday, when the inaugural ZimBho Purple Bloom and Pink Ribbons race day was held at Borrowdale Racecourse, with the aim of promoting domestic tourism and diversifying Zimbabwe’s tourism offering.
The event was officially launched by the Minister of Tourism and Hospitality Industry, Hon. Barbara Rwodzi, who commended Turf Culture Africa, in partnership with the Mashonaland Turf Club and Magitare Trust, for working with the Ministry to revive horse racing as a lifestyle tourism product. She said the aim was a signature experience that blends sport, fashion, culture, gastronomy, entertainment and hospitality.
The attendance of diplomats, including Türkiye’s Ambassador to Zimbabwe, Her Excellency Berna Kasnaklı Versteden, added an international dimension to the gathering.
The timing was deliberate. The race day coincided with the blooming of Harare’s jacaranda trees, harnessing the capital’s seasonal beauty to encourage domestic travel and position the city as an attractive destination during the jacaranda season and beyond. It also precedes the 2026 Domestic Tourism Festive Season Campaign, and supports Government’s vision of growing tourism into a US 15,000 ZimBho Jacaranda Bloom Cup and the CancerServe Pink Ribbon Cup.
The Jacaranda Bloom Cup was won by Action Thriller, a five-year-old chestnut gelding bred by Waterford Stud. Owned by Ms T B Hlupo and ridden by jockey Mathew Thackeray, the gelding took home US 25 and the VVIP section at US$100.
By combining sporting heritage, culinary experiences and live entertainment, the organisers say the event demonstrates the potential of a distinctive seasonal attraction that supports hospitality businesses and creates employment opportunities.
