The 1600m Guineas Trial at Borrowdale Park this Sunday should provide an interesting clash between stable companions True Beauty and Magnus Maximus.

I have said this before – and cannot resist saying it again – but the Guineas Trial is no more a trial for the Zimbabwe Guineas (with set weights) than the 1600m Tote Free Handicap. If one looks back over the years the fancied topweights often feature in the Guineas Trial, but there have also been upsets. For instance, in 2019 Opaque (52 kgs and starting at 44/1), beat Action Jackson (59 kgs) by a length.  

However, last year the race was won by Wantage (60kgs) who finished 3 lengths clear of Tree Of Wisdom (57.5 kgs).

True Beauty looks the horse to beat, having won both the 1200m Jacaranda Free and the 1600m Tote Free Handicaps, and finished second to Dindingwe in the Breeders Fillies Mile. Norbert Takawira rides and True Beauty will carry 59.5 kgs.  

With claiming Apprentice Rodgers Satombo in the irons, Magnus Maximus will receive 2 kgs from True Beauty on Sunday.  *Satombo rode True Beauty in the Tote Free, and she received 2kgs from Magnus Maximus then.

Magnus Maximus has won 2 out of 4 starts, beating Veseo and Mazikeen over 1200m. His last outing was in the 1600m Tote Free Handicap won by True Beauty in soft going. That day Sunday’s runners, Mazikeen, Suave Judge and Obscure finished in front of Magnus Maximus who was 20 lengths off the winner. No explanation in the Stipes Report but let’s assume that was too bad to be true.

Of course, its not all about the Swanson pair, True Beauty and Magnus Maximus. The remaining runners, all with weight on their side, will be waiting in the wings. Suave Judge received 4 kgs from True Beauty in the Tote Free and will now receive 2kgs; Mazikeen is 2 kgs better off, and Obscure, with claiming Apprentice Walter Shumba aboard, meets True Beauty 3.5 kgs to the good.

Obviously, this will be a tougher test for True Beauty, but I’m hoping she will shine.

Photograph Zimbabwe Equine News: True Beauty and Norbert Takawira team up in the Guineas Trial.