Jockey bookings might hold the key to Charity Mile
Who’s riding who? And why? This might be a good way to look at the Allied Steelrode-Onamission Charity Mile to be run at Turffontein on Saturday.
Jockey engagements for the Grade 2 1400m event are intriguing and could help us untangle a knotty punting task.
The Charity Mile has grown in prestige and quality in recent years. It was long a popular event, with generous sponsors, colourful staging and a special feeling that comes with doing good in the community.
But, with relatively moderate prize money, the contestants tended to be just below the top level.
You can’t say that about this 16-horse lineup, which includes six 2023 Durban July runners, including the winner Winchester Mansion, and the third Bless My Stars, as well as this year’s Gold Cup champion Future Pearl; a clutch of battle-hardened top-rankers; and a sprinkling of graduates from last
season’s classics.
They have been drawn by a sponsored pot of R1-million and strategic positioning of the fixture in the summer season programme.
Where good horses go, good jockeys follow.
One of those is veteran heavyweight Bernard Fayd’Herbe, who has been recruited by trainer Mike de Kock for Dave The King, who carries the welter of 61.5kg.
This horse, part-owned by Gary Player, is wont to take charge at the front of a race and only faded late when registering decent placings in both the July and the Champions Cup a few months ago. He disappointed in a comeback run at the Vaal recently, but De Kock appears to figure that a strong,
seasoned rider like Fayd’Herbe is what he needs right now.
Another visiting jockey from Cape Town is Grant van Niekerk, who will jump aboard Cousin Casey, a new recruit to the Sean Tarry yard. The trainer and the scenery might be new, but the enigmatic colt will be very familiar with the man in the saddle.
Cousin Casey reeled off five victories as a youngster and looked destined for great things. In top company, the wins dried up, though he still performed fairly well.
Van Niekerk has ridden him nine times for four wins and four places – so he knows all the four-year-old’s quirks.
Another highly successful combination has been Rachel Venniker and Eye Of The Prophet.
South Africa’s sole female jockey has partnered the Gauteng Guineas winner in 11 of 18 starts, for five wins and four places.
Trainer Paul Matchett has seen fit to call up Venniker from her KZN base for the gelding’s last seven outings on the Highveld.
Richard Fourie might not be a “visiting” jockey to Joburg, as he criss-crosses the country in pursuit of the championship, but he is flying in to take the pick of Sean Tarry’s three runners. He has opted for Gold Cup hero Future Pearl, despite this trip looking too sharp for him and a draw in the Rand Stadium car park (as venerable David Mollett puts it).
Fourie is in such devastating form that one cannot rule out the stamina horse winning fresh off a short break.
Of these four candidates, only Dave The King features in the top rungs of the betting boards, having been backed in from 10-1 to 8-1 second favourite in the past couple of days – telling evidence of De Kock stable confidence.
Winchester Mansion, the weak 6-1 favourite, has not drawn much support, probably because he hasn’t been seen out in a while and will be carrying rather more weight than he did on that memorable July day at Greyville.
De Kock’s Safe Passage – another enigma – has been steady at 9-1 for more than a week.
The bookies are keeping Puerto Manzano safe at 8-1. Second in last year’s Charity Mile and ridden by powerful Gavin Lerena, this guy is a Turffontein specialist who would not be a surprise winner – despite the widest draw.
The filly Bless My Stars is well above average and looks good value at 12-1 – even if just for a place bet.
What a race! And a fitting one for racing’s biggest good-deeds day, on which 21 charities get R20,000 each and the charities drawn with the first three horses past the post get R100,000, R75,000 and R50,000 respectively.
1 Dave The King, 10 Eye Of The Prophet, 3 Cousin Casey, 11 Future Pearl
6-1 Winchester Mansion
8-1 Dave The King, Puerto Manzano
9-1 Safe Passage
10-1 Future Pearl, Cousin Casey, Union Square
