G1 – 1000m – Turf
| 1 | Trip To Heaven | Tends to concede ground at the start which is probably why he has yet to win over 1000m. Very slow out of the stalls last year and had a lot of traffic to negotiate when second, beaten 0.3L by stablemate Carry On Alice. Very talented but has not won a race in over a year. |
| 2 | Search Party | Another who prefers 1200m and has not been at his best this term after a great win in Durban at the end of last season. |
| 3 | Sergeant Hardy | Very fast four-year-old gelding who loves this trip and is unbeaten over the course and distance. He has a great rapport with jockey Bernard Fayd’Herbe, who has ridden him five times for three wins and one place. |
| 4 | Always In Charge | Useful runner on his day over 1200m but will be trying 1000m for the first time. Tends to run on well. Blinkers failed last time and have been removed. |
| 5 | Brutal Force | An eight-time winner who has talent. His form this season has been below his best, but he is capable on his day. |
| 6 | La Favourari | Won four on the trot last season but in his comeback run in October finished a poor last and was reported to be coughing. Has not raced since. His stable is going through a troubling patch, too. |
| 7 | Tevez | This eight-year-old is as tough as nails and just when everybody wrote him off he came to finish second in the G2 Diadem Stakes over 1200m. Talented on his day. |
| 8 | Talktothestars | Talented six-year-old from a small stable who won the G1 Golden Horse Sprint at Scottsville. Another who can run on his day, but they are starting to happen less frequently. |
| 9 | Attenborough | Looked good when younger but as a four-year-old has not found his best form. Has a good jockey in Piere Strydom, but is struggling currently. |
| 10 | Graduation Day | Very talented, this seven-year-old gelding has only raced 11 times for six wins and two places. Better over 1200m but they will be trying him in blinkers for the first time. |
| 11 | Olympian | He’s a 1000m specialist with all five wins coming over this trip. He is a handicapper who steps up to weight-for-age company here. |
| 12 | Percival | He looks well held by the likes of Sergeant Hardy and Attenborough on his 2017 form, with his last run a 6L fifth to Sergeant Hardy in the Listed Southeaster Sprint over 1100m. |
| 13 | Jo’s Bond | The five-year-old mare is an eight-time winner with all of them coming over this distance. She was only beaten 1.15L into fourth place last year. |
| 14 | Sommerlied | Started the Cape season on a high when winning the Listed Laisserfaire Stakes over 1100m and did not perform too badly when just 1.75L behind Just Sensual in the G2 Southern Cross Stakes. Ran poorly last time out when 6.7L off Magical Wonderland in the G2 Sceptre Stakes up to 1200m. Back in trip should suit. |
| 15 | Live Life | Very talented filly who won the CTS 1200 last year against the colts and ran well when a 0.8L third in the G2 Southern Cross Stakes. Disappointed in her next start. |
| 16 | Naafer | One of two three-year-olds from the Mike de Kock yard, this son of Lonhro is highly regarded by the stable. Although he has not raced over 1000m he showed a lot of pace when a 1.1L second behind The Thinker in the G2 Merchants over 1160m. Will be ridden by Champion Jockey Anthony Delpech. |
| 17 | Alfolk | Another of De Kock-trained three-year-olds by Lonhro, this gelding has run six times over 1000m for three wins and three seconds. He won the G3 Lebelo Sprint last time but finished behind Graduation Day in the Listed Golden Loom Handicap two back. |
| 18 | Bold Respect | Another decent three-year-old who has run well in sprints and has form around Sergeant Hardy, having finished 0.4L behind him in the Pinnacle Stakes in October. Proven over the course and distance. |
