Charity will be the winner at Turffontein

Jack Milner

It does not really matter which horse wins the R800,000 Allied Steelrode Onamission Charity Mile because the true winner will be charity.

Each of the 16 runners competing in the Grade 2 race over 1600m on the Standside track at Turffontein on Saturday will represent a charity and each will receive a payout based on where their horse finishes in the race.

As part of its sponsorship Allied Steelrode have made R500,000 available to be shared by the 16 deserving Johannesburg charities.

This will range all the way from R200,000 for the charity whose horse wins the Allied Steelrode Onamission Charity Mile and a minimum of no less than R20,000 for the charity whose horse finishes in last position.

Each charity was present at the official draw on Tuesday and a representative from that charity was allowed to draw for one of the runners in the race.

Speaking on behalf of sponsors Allied Steelrode, Arun Chadha said that as a company they have always been in volved in charity. “What better way us to do it than with a passion we have, which is horseracing.

“Good luck to all the charities, they are all going to be winners some way or another.

“So, let’s hope we can carry this Charity Mile on and maybe have more races and more charities involved in the future.”

Horses from the Mike de Kock yard dominate the race as he will saddle four runners which include Grade 1 Daily New 2000 winner Safe Passage and Grade 1 HF Oppenheimer Horse Chestnut Stakes champion MK’s Pride who will be having the first run for his stable.

Also in the field is last year’s winner Bingwa who has drawn in pole position and has Gavin Lerena in the irons.

Final field with their charities for the R800,000 Allied Steelrode Onamission Charity Mile (Grade 3) over 1600m at Turffontein on Saturday 29 October

1 - 10 ASTRIX (J J van Vuuren) R Simons 61.5                           Little Rose Centre                                                            

2 - 2 MK'S PRIDE (M F De Kock) M Yeni 60.0                             SARDA Centre

3 - 4 SAFE PASSAGE (M F De Kock) G van Niekerk 59.5           San Michele Home

4 - 19 PUERTO MANZANO (J J van Vuuren) K de Melo 59.0      Joburg Child Welfare

5 - 1 BINGWA (J J van Vuuren) G Lerena 58.0                             Epworth Children’s Home

6 - 9 RED SAXON (J A Soma) S Khumalo 56.5                             Door Of Hope

7 - 8 HOEDSPRUIT (J S Snaith) R Fourie 56.0                              The Hamlet School

8 - 15 PYROMANIAC (S G Tarry) C Habib 53.5                             TAG Foundation

9 - 11 HOMELY GIRL (J J van Vuuren) M V'Rensburg 52.5          Highveld Horsecare Unit

10 - 14 FOREVER MINE (M F De Kock) J P v'd Merwe 52.0         Angel Baby Sanctuary

11 - 12 AFTER THE RAIN (G van Zyl Jnr) D De Gouveia 52.0       St Francis Care Centre

12 - 3 HUMDINGER (M F De Kock) R Munger 52.0                        Soweto Equestrian Centre

13 - 18 IRISH TRACTOR (B Crawford) K Matsunyane 52.0             Cotlands

14 - 5 WILLOW EXPRESS (S G Tarry) J Mariba 52.0                       Thusanani Children’s Foundation

15 - 7 LITIGATION (S G Tarry) C Maujean 52.0                                Tembisa Child Welfare

16 - 6 INDLAMU (S G Tarry) K A Brewer 52.0                                  Ekukhanyeni Childhood Development  

Reserve Runners

17 - 17 CORNISH POMODORO (S G Tarry) Reserve 1 52.5

18 - 16 VANDERBILT (R Klaasen) Reserve 2 52.0

19 - 13 EXPRESSFROMTHEUS (W C Marwing) Reserve 3 52.0

Same Trainer: (1,4,5,9) (2,3,10,12) (8,14,15,16,17)