The Gauteng powerhouse yards of Sean Tarry and Mike de Kock send out almost half the field in Saturday’s R1 million Gr2 Peermont Emperors Palace Charity Mile.
Flashback to 2012 – Charity Mile winner Mujaarib
Their respective recent records in the event are not that impressive though, with De Kock the most recent winner of the two – that in 2012 when Mujaarib beat Tarry’s Whiteline Fever.
So that underscores the tricky nature of the handicap, with chances to many, including Johan Janse van Vuuren’s Colorado King Stakes winner Divine Odyssey.
Divine Odyssey – a big runner (Pic – JC Photos)
The Sporting Post roving banker fits the profile of a Charity Mile winner. He came off a midfield finish in the July to run a nice pipe-opener second to Approach Control in September. While the Summer Cup will be his main target, and he could still need this, he is nicely drawn and must have a serious shout.
Zouaves is widely drawn (Pic – JC Photos)
While he has a shocking draw to overcome, the gallantly consistent Hawaii Stakes winner Zouaves seldom runs an off race and was a trifle unlucky to be demoted from second to fourth in the Joburg Spring Challenge, after looking a winner. His two runs this term have been fair efforts and he will be running on at them late.
With Buffalo Bill Cody out, Barahin is De Kock’s spearhead. Anton Marcus is back on the Jubilee Handicap winner, a horse who was fancied to run a big race at the July weights but failed to fire. His return effort was a modest 5 length fifth behind Soqrat in receipt of 2kgs. But he is better than that.
Sean Tarry’s Zillzaal is a classy scopy sort with plenty of improvement likely and was weighted to win his return run – which he duly did. Something of a classic bridesmaid last season, he comes in with 54,5kgs and with Piere Strydom in the irons he could fulfil some of that promise of early.
One of two KZN raiders, Marchingontogether steps into the big league. The last horse from the holiday province to win the Charity Mile was longshot Royal Zulu Warrior back in 2013 for Roy Moodley and Kumaran Naidoo.
The very game Infamous Fox (Pic – Candiese Marnewick)
Candice Dawson was Naidoo’s assistant at the time and she saddles the industrious miler and Thekela Handicap winner Infamous Fox, who was struck in the face when promoted in the recent Joburg Spring Challenge to third place. Fit and well drawn, he and MJ Byleveld have formed a winning partnership.
The contest doesn’t end there with the likes of dangerous front-runner Pilou looking very competitive off the 52kg mark and the classy 4yo Approach Control 5,5kgs better off with Zillzaal for a 4 length beating last time.
There is bound to be a pace on and we are going with Divine Odyssey to hold Zillzaal and Zouaves, with improvement likely from the talented Barahin.
