The Equator lines up well for a second win in a row

Race 1 (1,000m)

(1) MEGHAN’S DIAMOND may have found 1,300m a touch too far last time after an encouraging Highveld debut over 1,160m, so this shorter trip should be more to her liking.
(10) MIDNIGHT SPECIAL showed promise in both starts over this distance as a two-year-old and will not need to improve much to fight out the finish.
(3) MASTER’S LADY has the form and experience to be competitive, while (4) SURREAL SONG can make her presence felt too.

Race 2 (1,400m)

(6) SHINING SUN was gelded after an underwhelming two-year-old debut, but made an encouraging reappearance as a gelding in a winners’ race last season. He will not need to improve much on that effort to open his account, with the step-up to this trip likely to suit.
(1) ROYALE JACKET and (3) SEVENTH FLEET have the form and experience to trouble the youngster but less scope to improve.
Highveld newcomer (2) FROM THE GET GO and recently gelded (5) MOETHEMONEYMAN warrant respect, as does first-timer (4) MIRUM, who is worth a market check on debut.

Race 3 (1,400m)

(7) HOT CHOICE outran market expectations when she stayed on gamely to finish second on debut over 1,160m. On the evidence of that performance she should have more to offer over this extended trip, on top of that experience to count on.
(6) EMPRESS OF PEACE and (4) BE ALL YOU CAN BE have shown enough to challenge the selection, so they should be competitive.
(2) NICCI’S LAW also has the means to make her presence felt.

Race 4 (1,800m)

(1) THE EQUATOR won a similar contest over track and trip last month. Go close.

(2) KING’S EXPRESS is held on recent form but should make his presence felt.

Last-start winner (3) PALACE PRINCE benefited from the fitting of a tongue-tie (retained).

(6) FIRE ’N FLAMES is weighted to turn the tables on The Equator who, however, remains open to improvement in his peak outing.

Race 5 (1,160m)

It could pay to follow the progress of newly turned 3YO (6) KUDIKARAN, whose last-start third in a two-year-old Grade 1 last terms reads well in the context of his handicap debut. He could be better than rated and is open to improvement.

(3) ESPINOZA, (5) VIBE SA and (4) MAX THE MAGICIAN are closely matched on the form of a similar course-and-distance meeting recently. There should not be much separating them again.

Race 6 (1,600m)

Veteran mare (2) PRETTY ANALIA could fight out the finish alongside top-weight (1) KORTVANDRAAD, who has performed consistently out of the maidens and would not be winning out of turn.
A big threat to the principals could come from (7) SECRET LIFE who is unexposed over this distance.

Last-start winner (4) CONCORDIA has a four-point penalty to carry and has yet to prove effective over this trip, but can still have a say in this.

Race 7 (1,600m)

(4) TROMBOLINES has got his career back on track recently since fitted with a tongue-tie. He scored over 1,400m in KZN last time and a three-point penalty over this extended trip is unlikely to halt his progress.
(1) MASTER CHRISTMAS, (8) OKLAHOMA SMOKESHOW and (5) ARIOVISTUS boast solid form credentials and will keep the selection honest.

Race 8 (1,600m)

Progressive (1) INTO DANCING won over this trip in her penultimate start and defied a three-point penalty to win over 2,000m at this level last time. She copped another four-point rise for that performance but that may not be enough to prevent her from completing a hat-trick.
Fellow last-start scorer (2) AMERICAN BEAUTY remains competitive and will likely pose a threat, with the shortlist completed by (4) MERRYWEATHER and (6) SIKELOI.

Race 9 (1,400m)

This will not take much winning, so a three-point penalty for his last-start success over 1,600m should not halt the momentum of (5) BAY EMPIRE, even over this shorter distance. No reason why he cannot win two on the bounce.
(1) ZIP CODE and (3) MICHAEL FARADAY are hard-knockers with the form and experience at this level to trouble the selection.
Filly (2) DONDOYAKI, veteran mare (8) CAN’T CATCH ME and (4) SIX OF ALL (career-low mark) appeal most of the remainder. Anyone of them are good enough to complete the quartet.