The Brett Crawford trained Edict Of Nantes (Count Dubois) looks the front runner for the title of Equus Champion Three-Year-Old Colt this season.
He won five times in the season, beginning the 2016-2017 SA racing season with a hatrick of wins, before Edict Of Nantes was third and second respectively in the Gr3 Cape Classic and Gr2 Selangor Cup. Fifth to William Longsword in the Cape Guineas, Edict Of Nantes came back to land the Gr1 Investec Cape Derby on Sun Met day before travelling to KZN where he downed Al Sahem to lift the 2017 Gr1 Daily News 2000 at Greyville.

Edict Of Nantes closed his season with a fast finishing third in the 2017 Vodacom Durban July but looks the leader in this category due to the fact he won more Gr1 races than any other nominee.

Al Sahem (Silvano), did beat Edict Of Nantes when a close second in the Gr1 Vodacom Durban July, but was in turn defeated by that Count Dubois colt when the pair met in the Daily News 2000. The Sean Tarry trained bay was remarkably consistent during the 2016-2017 season, winning or finishing second in all seven outings, with his biggest win coming when landing the Gr1 SA Derby, at the expense of fellow Equus nominee Heavenly Blue.

William Longsword (Captain Al) made just six outings during the season but won five –including the Gr1 Grand Parade Cape Guineas (beating Edict Of Nantes and Heavenly Blue) and CTS Mile. The latter race saw William Longsword, who is now standing at Klawervlei Stud, account for the Gr1 performers Safe Harbour, She’s A Giver and Just Sensual, as well as Winter Series winner African Night Sky and dual Guineas winner Janoobi.

The Mike de Kock trained Heavenly Blue (Snitzel) defeated Al Sahem when an impressive winner of the Gr1 SA Classic, but failed to stay when a well beaten third in the Gr1 SA Derby. He won just once this season, albeit at Gr1 level, which suggests he is the outsider of the party here.