When Diesel And Dust canters down to the start at Borrowdale Park on Sunday his connections will be hoping Futura’s capable son will complete a hat-trick of wins – in the 2021 Zimbabwe Derby, no less.

The three-year-old gelding has only raced twice and collected admirers on each occasion.  His last outing was in the Zimbabwe 2000 on April 18 and he handled that trip well. Sunday’s race is over 2400m and none of the runners have tried that yet.

Diesel And Dust is from the Swanson yard, and he will be taking on his stable companions, Magnus Maximus and Rocquette.  Bridget Stidolph will saddle Only Him, by Mambo In Seattle (USA), and a recent arrival at Borrowdale.

Also lightly raced, Only Him won over 1400m at The Vaal, and at the last Borrowdale meeting he ran two lengths off Hedwig over 1600m. Magnus Maximus, by Jackson, is a three-time winner – twice over 1200m, and the 1600m Guineas Trial on January 17 where he narrowly beat Obscure.

The Jay Peg filly, Rocquette, is still a maiden but has had several races around the turn. To date she has been somewhat unreliable but, in this field where the ability to stay the Derby distance has to be taken on trust, I am not discounting anyone.

This will certainly be an interesting race. Diesel And Dust has proved himself over 2000m and looks to be the one the others must beat.

Photographs: TOP: The finish of the Zimbabwe 2000 when Diesel And Dust defeated Mazikeen. BELOW: Magnus Maximus held off Obscure in the Guineas Trial.