Cape trainers are set to send a powerful team to the R1 million HF Oppenheimer Horse Chestnut Stakes at Turffontein on March 28.

With the recent passing of Hot Chestnut the Group One race that carries his name will be a fitting tribute to arguably the best horse ever to race in South Africa.

Champion trainers Justin Snaith, Mike Bass, Brett Crawford, Joey Ramsden and Vaughan Marshall have all entered runners while Geoff Woodruff has nominated Louis The King, the only horse who was been able to emulate Horse Chestnut’s SA Triple Crown feat.

Snaith has entered Readytogorightnow, Bass has put in Ashton Park, Crawford has nominated Captain America, Ramsden has King Of Pain and Exelero is the entrant from the Marshall yard.

Mike de Kock has entered star three-year-old filly Majmu but the Australian-bred daughter of Redoute’s Choice has also been nominated for the R1 million SA Fillies Classic where a win would see her in line to claim the Wilgerbosdrift Triple Tiara bonus of R1 million if she can also win the SA Oaks.

If De Kock opts to race her in the Horse Chestnut Stakes, with a merit rating of 114 and a weight advantage of 5.5kg, Majmu will be one of the best-weighted runners.

Louis The King has a merit rating of 116 and is the highest-rated runner in the race.

Sean Tarry has entered 2013 President’s Champion Challenge and Vodacom Durban July winner Heavy Metal.

He ran well finishing fourth in a Pinnacle Stakes over 1160m on March 7 in his first run since returning from overseas. Tarry has also entered Halve The Deficit and Whiteline Fever.

A number of these runners – Louis The King, King Of Pain and Heavy Metal in particular – will be using this event as a preparation race for the upcoming R2-milllion President’s Champions Challenge over 2000m on April 25.

The Horse Chestnut Stakes is one of three G1 races to be run on the day. The others are the SA Classic and the Wilgerbosdrift SA Fillies Classic, both over 1800m.

Also run on the day will be five G3 races.