This season’s crop of three-year-olds has been above average and they can drive home that point in the G1 Gold Challenge (1600m) at Greyville on Saturday (8 June). That said, the cream of the older generation has either been retired or shipped off overseas.

Two of the remaining top older runners are See It Again and Nathan Kotzen-trained Royal Victory.

See It Again’s Cape summer went awry after his highly impressive victory in the G2 Green Point Stakes (1600m) where he had Champion Miler Charles Dickens dead to rights.

Charles Dickens returned the compliment in the G1 King’s Plate (1600m), before retiring to stud.

See It Again looked to be a penalty kick for the G1 Cape Town Met (2000m) but lacked his usual spark to finish a well beaten fourth.

In both the King’s Plate and the Cape Town Met, he moved up to challenge but then ran out of puff. Post-race tests ordered by Michael Roberts and owner Nick Jonsson revealed nothing seemingly amiss but a seasoned observer was of the opinion that the colt had peaked too early and was ‘over the top’.

That assessment will be tested on Saturday. The ruling ante-post favourite for the G1 Durban July (2200m) before Green With Envy put up his hand, See It Again has nothing to lose as whatever the outcome of the Gold Challenge as he will go into the July with top weight, so Roberts will likely have his charge at full revs for a blow-out for the big race where he finished second last year. That said, the three-year-olds have had the wood on their older rivals, mainly on the Highveld – a high plateau region of South Africa.

Main Defender has an enviable record on the Highveld and was a comfortable winner of the G1 Horse Chestnut Stakes (1600m), beating Dave The King. Tony Peter’s runner is the second highest rated horse in the race, only one pound inferior to See It Again, which makes him a big runner, given that this is a weight-for-age contest.

An interesting runner is Lucky Lad. Sean Tarry has backed him up just seven days after winning the G1 Golden Horse Sprint (1200m), displaying a remarkable turn of foot to extricate himself from a seeming hopeless position. He had no luck when trying a mile for the first time from a wide gate so one can draw a line through that run. He has drawn a little better here but will be coming from off the pace.

His pedigree suggests that he will stay the mile comfortably and should he win or even go close, he will most likely have booked a ticket for the Durban July in what would be a remarkable training feat by Tarry.

In See It Again’s favour, the pace will likely to be a good one led by the freewheeling Dave The King, who has the canny Muzi Yeni aboard. Sandringham Summit apparently does have a few niggles but was run out of it late by Green With Envy in the G2 KZN Guineas (1600m). He is another that will benefit from a strong pace and on his day could put them all to bed.