He was held up at a crucial stage in the L’Ormarin’s Queen’s Plate before flying home for second and that was only intended as a “bring on” race. The Triple Crown hero carried a big weight to victory in the Sansui Summer Cup and is very much at home over 2000m.

Louis The King (JC Photo)

Futura showed fine finishing speed in his Vodacom Durban July third place run as well as when winning the L’Omarins Queen’s Plate, despite a slow pace in both races. He will appreciate this distance and is likely to be finishing strongly.

Punta Arenas finished third at a big price last year and will be cherry-ripe after a good preparation. His wide draw might favour him as it did last year, as he won’t have to expend much energy in finding a handy position in a likely slow paced race. He has a resolute finish and could present the best place value in the race. Power King is getting better and better after gelding and should now be at his peak. He is 1kg better off with Arion for a 1,25 length beating in the Peninsula Handicap over 1800m, in which he was doing his best work late.

Tellina placed in two Gr 1s over this trip at Turffontein last season and will be having his second run after gelding. He finished fifth in the Queen’s Plate, a race that was intended to bring him to his peak.

Dynamic went close to upsetting Capetown Noir over this course and distance in the Investec Cape Derby two years ago and has impressed in his unbeaten run this season. He is said to be getting “better and better” in work and from draw 6 could take advantage of a lack of pace by being right up there before staying on. However, trainer Justin Snaith’s yard has been badly affected by a virus that appears to be rife in Cape Town at present and it is hard to fancy their horses with confidence at present.

Gold Onyx has a short run in and was a touch unlucky not to get a clear passage in the Queen’s Plate after cruising in behind for much of the straight. He gets on well with Grant Behr, who has retained the ride, and he stays this trip these days. Arion takes a lot of work and is not the soundest, but his Peninsula Handicap win proved that he was at his peak, so he has probably just been kept ticking over. Jet Explorer will go into the Met off a good preparation, unlike last year when pulling a shoe and banging his leg in the Met Gallops. He is always a dangerous contender at his peak and will be 1,5kg better off with Futura and Louis The King for beatings of between one and two lengths in the Queen’s Plate. He does have a slight stamina doubt, but in a slow paced race he should get this trip.

Killua Castle (left) and Louis The King – (JC Photos)

Killua Castle’s best form was always on the Turffontein Standside Track until he waltzed in last time out in the Gr 3 London News Stakes over 1800m on the Turffontein Inside Track, so he looks to be coming into his own. He is only 1kg worse off with Louis The King for a narrow defeat in the Summer Cup. Helderberg Blue’s temperament let him down last season, but is now under control. He was forced to go for home too early when fourth in the Peninsula and trainer Mike Bass also admitted said that he had probably not done enough with him in work before that race. He does have a wide draw to overcome. Paterfamilias will be having his third run after a year’s layoff and could earn if showing the same form of his Premier Trophy third place last season. He also has a wide draw, but Bass expects both him and Helderberg Blue to run their best ever races.

Johnny Rockets is not a sound horse so is unreliable, but is capable of a strong finish and if he is able to fully let himself down, which he doesn’t tend to do, he could earn a cheque.

Astro News was a close up sixth to Igugu as a three-year-old, but has only placed once in ten Gr 1 outings.

The scratching of Legislate and Justin Snaith’s admission that his yard is battling to contain a virus has changed the dynamic of this race so the selection has altered slightly from last Sunday and is now Louis The King to beat Futura, with Punta Arenas, Power King and Tellina next best. However, Dynamic remains the dark horse as he looks to have the potential on his day to upset the favourites.