Story by Lawrence Trusida, Sports Editor

THE Goshawks suffered their third defeat of the Mzansi Challenge Rugby Cup after going down 57-48 to a South African side, Valke.

The Falcons, as Valke are known, claimed a big 57-48 win against the Goshawks at Harare Sports Club this Saturday.

The defeat was the third successive for the Goshawks after losing to Namibia and Clement of the United States of America.

The Goshawks put in a spirited performance in front of their home crowd but the better conditioning of their opponents told at the end after they stile the match.

On the same day, outside favourite, Ideal View of the Debra Swanson stable shocked a star-studded field to win the 2023 Castle Tankard horse race at Borrowdale Race Course.

The five-year-old colt was not in the picture from the start but began to show its prowess around the 14 hundred-metre mark and showed its exact prowess down the stretch.

With Dindingwe and Down to Business in close attention, champion jockey Nathan Klink riding Ideal View weaved his magic to eventually win the race.

Down to Business settled for third, while Dindingwe was a close second as Debra Swanson’s stable took all the podium places.

Elsewhere, South Africa’s Neil Schietekat claimed his fourth Sunshine Tour title after claiming a four-shot victory in the FBC Zimbabwe Open Golf Championship at Royal Harare Golf Club.

Schietekat is now the 11th successive South African winner of the FBC Zimbabwe Open since the tournament’s return on the Sunshine Tour schedule in 2010.

However, he revealed that the FBC Zimbabwe Open, which ended his five year-wait for a fourth victory was his best thus far as it was his first in a 72-hole competition as well as his maiden win outside South Africa.

Schietekat was four shots ahead of the South African duo of Jaco Alhers and Jacques de Villiers, and Greece’s Peter Karmis, who all finished in a three-way tie for second.

Another South African, Ryan Van Velzen was alone in 5th position on six-under-par, while Zimbabwe’s Kieran Vincent finished tied for sixth position with Van Niekerk Danie on three-under-par.

Harare-born Stephen Ferreira, who competes under the Portuguese flag was tied for eight.