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Dennis Drier is one of the sharpest trainers around and when he asserts a horse is special his opinion is not to be taken lightly.

Drier rates Master Of My Fate among the best horses he has trained and pronounced in September last year that he would be his J&B Met runner.

The son of Jet Master has done nothing wrong after finishing second on debut. Since then he has reeled off six successive wins, each one more impressive than the last.

“He’s done everything we asked of him and I think he’s a big runner,” said Drier.

“We really thought the 9kg penalty he got for winning the Premier’s Trophy would have told in the Peninsula Handicap. I was doubtful, but he did it with such ease.”

The G1 J & B Met at Kenilworth on Saturday will be his acid test but one suspects he will come through it in style and prevail in the R2.5-million race over 2000m.

If the bookmakers have got it right, it is a two-horse contest between Jackson and Master Of My Fate with Capetown Noir the plausible danger.

There have been rumours that Jackson has been having problems, which trainer Brett Crawford has acknowledged.

“We are constantly treating and managing ulcers,” Crawford said.

“I was concerned as he went very quiet the week after the Queen’s Plate, but he is in good form and is doing exceptionally well now.

“His prep has gone better than last year and I feel he is a superior horse than he was then.”

At his best Jackson is capable of winning, but a bigger threat to Master Of My Fate could come from King Of Pain.

His last win came in December of 2012 but the four-year-old has rarely been far behind some of the top horses in the country.

Since coming back from a rest and being gelded in October, King Of Pain has been confined to races over 1400m and 1600m.

He has placed in all but the L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate, where he suffered interference and completed the final 400m in a faster time than all but Jet Explorer.

Trainer Joey Ramsden believes his gelding is crying out for the extra distance

“I’m feeling very positive. I’m happy with the draw and with jockey Bernard Fayd’Herbe. I’m not saying he will win but I think he will go close,” Ramsden said.

There is no doubting Capetown Noir’s class but there is a question mark about the distance, especially in this company despite his win in in the Cape Derby last year.

“I hope the pace is a good one,” said trainer Dean Kannemeyer.

“They normally go fast for the first 400m, jockeying for position, then ease it up.

“That’s when you get all the trouble with horses beginning to bunch, and it’s just what he doesn’t need. In the straight he can really turn it on, whatever the pace.”

One runner who could provide good place value is No Worries.

He ran fourth in the Durban July and the Queen’s Plate and with Piere Strydom up could be involved in the finish.