The race will be the feature event of the Lovelock Classic in Timaru — the first of five Classic meetings held around the country this season.
Cromwell-based runner Daniel Balchin — who represents University of Canterbury — will enter as a favourite.
A twice former champion of the event, Balchin finished second last year — and defending champion Sam Petty is not among this year’s entrants.
Hill City-University’s Caden Shields — who is now based in Melbourne — shapes as another local contender.
They will be joined by Josh Hou, George Bates, Aleks Cheifetz, Gareth Harcombe and Gregor Findlay as Otago runners in the race.
Otago athletes should also feature strongly in the hurdles events.
Taieri’s Tara McNally and Ariki’s Sarah Langsbury will provide strong competition for each other in both the under-18 100m and 300m hurdles.
Christina Ashton (Taieri) will compete in the senior women’s 100m hurdles, a field including five-time national champion Fiona Morrision.
HCU’s Cameron Moffitt will also be a favourite in the men’s under-18 100m and 300m hurdles.
Fiona Centers (HCU) will race in what looks to be fast 100m and 200m fields.
She will face stiff Canterbury competition in Kelsey Berryman, Maia Broughton and Morrison.
Meanwhile in the men’s sprint races, national 200m record holder Joseph Millar travels south to act as a major drawcard.
In the women’s long jump, Paralympian Anna Grimaldi will continue her comeback after being out for 16 months with a foot injury.
She will be joined by youngsters Langsbury and Emma McKay.
The hammer is another event in which Otago will be prominent. Todd Bates and Mike Scholten contest the men’s event and Mayce Ballantyne throws in the women’s.
The Classic meetings typically attract some of the strongest fields in New Zealand each summer.
Following today’s meeting will be the Cooks Classic on January 15 in Whanganui, and then the Capital Classic in Wellington on January 18.
Hastings hosts the Potts Classic on January 26, before the Porritt Classic in Hamilton rounds out the circuit on February 9.
