Places in the local team to contest the Group 1 Audemars Piguet QE II Cup next month will be at stake when many of Hong Kong's top horses do battle at Sha Tin on Saturday.

Eight horses still entered for the Cup are involved in the day's two feature races, the Group 2 Chairman's Trophy over 1600 metres and the Premier Class On Lan Handicap over 1800m.

Five are entered for the Trophy - Indigenous, Aucash, Cheers Hong Kong, Idol and Man of Honour - while Rainbow And Gold, Danamite and Rebel Leader are down to contest the On Lan.

While Saturday's eight hopefuls stake their claims the other local contenders Industrial Pioneer, Helene Vitality (quarantine pending), Olympic Express, Precision and Dashing Winner will be at home in their stables.

The final field for the AP QEII Cup will be announced on Saturday but already it is shaping as the best Cup ever, with a particularly strong international challenge drawn by its elevation to international Group 1 status and inclusion in the World Series .

Saturday's Chairman's Trophy has drawn only 12 entries but is strong in both quality and depth, with 11 of the 12 rated 110 or above.

In the absence of champions Fairy King Prawn and Electronic Unicorn in the spelling paddock, it is a line-up of the best milers available in Hong Kong, including also Red Sun, Red Pepper, Meridian Star and Super Molly.

The On Lan originally was to have been restricted to horses rated between 105 and 80, but the Jockey Club boosted it to Premier Class with the intention of increasing the opportunities for top local horses to qualify for a start in the Cup.

Trainers have given the move an enthusiastic thumbs up, supporting the revamped format to the extent that seven of the 14 horses still entered for the race are rated 105 or above.