With the Classic season on the radar, the Sir Howard Stakes will be a lively highlighter of the 13-race card at Caymanas Park today.

The race is the penultimate event on the programme and designed like its sister, the Hot Lines Stakes to continue to provide trainers with promising native-bred three-year-olds the opportunity to continue the process of preparation for possible entry into the Guineas Classics scheduled for early April.

The Sir Howard Stakes is one of two trophy races on the card, a Restricted Allowance II call for native-bred three-year-olds colts and geldings (NW2), and the Hot Line Stakes a Restricted Allowance II call for native-bred three-year-old fillies (NW2). The Sir Howard and the Hot Line stakes races will go 1,200 metres for a purse of $900,000. Both races will field eight runners each, with the Sir Howard fielding as many winners and the Hot Line, six winners.

The Sir Howard Stakes highlighter is set to go to post at approximately 4:45 pm and the Hot Line at 3:15 pm. First post is at 11:15 am.

Also on the card is the Diamond Mile winner Seeking My Dream, who makes his four-year-old debut among Open Allowance company going 1,500 metres for a purse of $845,000. The extended programme will also feature two divisions of five-year-old (NW3O/T) going 1,100 metres for purses of $560,000; two divisions for maiden native-bred fillies going 1,000 metres round for purses of $768,000; and two divisions for $180,000 claimers going 1,400 metres for purses of $500,000.

The Sir Howard Stakes sports what appears to be the most competitive field of runners on the card. None of these has shown any definitive superiority over the other, yet the winner looks more than likely to come from a couple of runners that include Lord Equus, My Companion, Orpheus and Little Big Horn.

All these, as with the other runners, have won races over varying distances and look charged to go on. Nolan Hill looks a consistent sort, as after three runs he has not done less than a third-place finish. He was a convincing winner in his last run with a 57.2 seconds going 1,000 metres straight, and the bay gelding by Deputy Glitters, trained by Gary Subratie for True Friends, should enjoy the distance going farther. Aaron Chatrie, the gelding’s regular rider, will stay aboard.

Little Big Horn, trained by Wayne DaCosta, is another who has released his maiden tag going over the straight course in a good time also, but was seen shortening, while Nolan Hill was seen going away. However, trainer DaCosta has removed the blinkers, and with the tongue tie still in place and Omar Walker remaining in the irons, there should be an improved effort returning to the round course.

Orpheus was a convincing winner on his fourth career start going 1,400 metres, but in an increased distance of 1,500 metres on his last runhe had to settle for second and should now be ripe to go all the way over this shorter trip. Trained by Anthony Nunes, the chestnut colt by Adore The Gold ( La Reina) bred and owned by Elias Haloute, has since looked fluent in his preparation and could make amends. Stable rider Shane Ellis will remain in the saddle.

Dr Banner beat Nolan Hill on debut going straight, but will face much better opposition among these and will have to wait for an easier opportunity to continue his winning ways. Dr Banner, a chestnut gelding by Adore The Gold ( Déjà Vu), bred by Ham Stables Ltd and trained by Steven Todd for owners Ham Stables (company), will be ridden by Jevvanne Erwin.

Lord Equus, a dark bay colt by Image Maker ( Dancinwiththestars) is another very consistent performer with two first- place finishes, and two second-placed finishes, could be the one they all have to beat, having completed the trip on last in a spirited 1:13.4. Lord Equus also finished second to Miss Myrtle on his second outing in a time of 1:12.4 minutes at the distance.

Bred by Argyll Farms Ltd and trained by Philip Feanny for Superkids Racing Stable, Lord Equus will be ridden by the claiming apprentice Odeen Edwards.

My Companion, a dark bay colt by Market Rally ( Getyourgunsannie), bred at Ham Stables and trained and owned by Milade & Richard Azan, Wilbert Bagwandeen and Graham Brown looks a good one in the making and will be running for the third time. He had two very promising opening races. He won his second going straight and went down by a neck to Nuclear Affair on debut going 1,100 metres. Dane Nelson will replace the new champion jockey Shane Ellis aboard My Companion.

Chace The Great was a convincing winner on the round course winning by all of 7 ½ lengths on debut in a time of 59.3 seconds and has even looked more devastating in his preparation, finishing off his final workout by breezing 1,000 metres straight in 59.4 seconds.

Bred and owned by Vincent Atkinson, Chace The Great, a chestnut colt by Greatness ( Our Miss Ruth) West Acre and trained by Dwight Chen with Assiniboia Downs champion jockey Chavion Chow up.

Vision Of Gold, a chestnut colt by Fearless Vision out of Good Prospect, has already won at 1,200 metres, but seems to lack the class of his rivals and a minor share seems his best hope. Vision of Gold, a stablemate of Little Big Horn, bred and owned by Francis Barnett, Edison Chai & Louis Lyn, will be ridden by the apprentice Jerome Innis.

The Hot Line seems to be a straight fight between Simply The Best, trained by Philip Feanny, and Dreaming The Code, trained by Carl Anderson.

Simply The Best ( Adore The Gold – Supa Lei) won well on debut on November 14 of last year when clocking 1:06.3 minutes over 1,100 metres but was no where to be found in the Pick3 Super Challenge Trophy over 1,400 metres two weeks later. Has been working brilliantly since and should run a capital race here. Olando Foster will ride.

Dreaming The Code, a bay filly by Coded Warning – Seaofdream covered the distance of 1,100 metres in a fast 1:06.0 minutes on debut, returned in the Jamaica Two-Year-Old Stakes over 1,600 metres last Boxing Day and ran no race. Since then, she has been training really well and with Shane Ellis securing the ride, Dreaming The Code looks like the one to beat.