The Gr 2 Peermont Emperor’s Palace Charity Mile meeting is one of the highlights of the Highveld racing season and combines top class racing with a festive social occasion in which the public can rub shoulders with celebrities.

The Charity Mile is never an easy race to analyse, because some horses use it as a preparation for the Sansui Summer Cup.

New Predator loves the Turffontein Standside mile and from a probably ideal draw of six under Gavin Lerena has a big chance. He ran an excellent preparation race when staying on strongly for third in the Joburg Spring Challenge over 1450m. Champagne Haze will be going all out, as the mile is probably the limit of his range, and he will be attempting to emulate his half-brother Pierre Jourdan, who won this race on Guy Fawkes day five years ago.

Champagne Haze is an easy ride, so can be switched off from his tricky draw of eight, and if he finds decent cover his superb turn of foot will take him close. Leading apprentice Lyle Hewitson rates him one of the best he has sat on and he and trainer Gary Alexander have been pleased with his preparation.

New Predator (Nkosi Hlophe)

Mogok Master had a year off, not due to any physical issues, but due to a rules enforcement on another matter. This could only have done him good and he proved it when winning impressively first time out for his new yard. The mile at this stage should be right down his alley and he should have improved from that first comeback run. The Standside track suits him as he has a good turn of foot and a sustained finishing run. Anthony Delpech has duly stayed aboard. His draw of ten is a bit tricky but he is a relaxed type who should be able to find cover.

Mac De Lago is probably the best miler in the country. He returned from a layoff last year to finish strongly for fourth in this race and can repeat the effort despite being ten points higher in the merit ratings and having to carry 62kg. Rabada is also top class over a mile and loves the Standside course. However, he does have a tough draw.

Saratoga Dancer began catching the eye in no uncertain terms last year and this long striding sort always struck as one who would get better with age. He missed the cut when strongly fancied for this race last year and has a chance to make amends from a plum draw. His preparation run on the Greyville poly should have ideally been better than it was, but he was found to be coughing and that was seven weeks ago. He has reportedly been doing well at Turffontein, where the Duncan Howells runners have been prepared for the last six weeks.

Bulleting Home has a good draw and the best has likely not been seen of him yet, so he has a chance under Piere Strydom. Deo Juvente has talent and although he would prefer a touch further he can’t be written off from a plum draw. The veteran No Worries proved in the KZN Million Mile he still has it in him to be competitive in a race like this. He has a plum draw. St. Tropez would prefer further, but loves a galloping track like this one and also has a fair draw. These are the ones most fancied and they are selected in the order mentioned.

The most anticipated clash of the day could well be the one in the Gr 3 Graham Beck Stakes over 1400m between Doosra and Heavenly Blue. Both look full of class. Doosra is drawn in pole and is race fit. The course and distance should be ideal. It will be a thrill to see him unwinding down the long straight into that enormous stride of his. Heavenly Blue is drawn seven and has been just as impressive. However, this will be his first run of the season, so Doosra is given the nod.

The R2,5 million Emperor’s Palace Ready To Run Cup could see national champion trainer Sean Tarry filling a few of the placings. Africa Rising could be the one to side with having struck as a classy sort. He won well from a wide draw over 1450m on the Inside track last time, so can overcome another tough draw. Safe Harbour is a long striding sort who over raced early last time in the Gr 2 Joburg Spring Challenge against some of the best older males in the country, yet she was still staying on well at the end. Her wide draw is the drawback.

Unagi has proven class, but his last below par run leaves a bit of a cloud over his head especially as tests could not find anything wrong. He also had to overcome a wide draw. If producing his best he has a winning chance. Visuality was staying on strongly last time in the Gr 2 Joburg Spring Fillies and Mares challenge and finished a decent 0,7 length third considering she was the only three-year-old in the field. She has a fair draw of nine and has a winning chance. The rest of the field all have tough tasks according to the official merit ratings.

However, Act Of Loyalty caught the eye last time as one with a nice action and scope for improvement, so he could upset the applecart. Double Appeal tried this trip once as a juvenile and ran a good third, beaten 4,75 lengths by the useful Jiffy, especially considering he had a wide draw and was bumped a few times while making his run down the outside rail. He could be a threat from a nice draw of six.

By David Thiselton