From The Horse's Mouth - Mark Van Deventer

The Charity Mile is carded as Race 7 at Turffontein on Saturday. It is a Grade 2; off time 15h30.

1. Cosmic Speed has a personal best speed score of 105. Drawn in gate 2, he should enjoy a favourable trip, but the major concern is his lengthy losing run, having not won for 609 days.

2. Choisaanada boasts a best speed figure of 103. Though he’s won over a mile, is arguably better over middle distances. Faces a tricky task in this company from draw 12.

3. Zanovi has a personal best speed figure of 103. Alan Greeff and Richard Fourie are raiding from the Eastern Cape with this accomplished, 12x- time winner. Previously campaigned with some success on the Highveld but finds himself shy on the figures needed to win. Barrier 14 also no help.

4. Holding Thumbs is a stayer, probably using this as a prep for the Summer Cup. His best figure is 101.

5. I’m a Fireball. Speed figure of 105. Should give a good sight, racing handy from the inside alley, but might be vulnerable later to the “swoopers.”

6. Pressonregardless, his highest speed figure of 97 is way short of what is required, and two recent starts since a break have been dull.

7. Chronicle King s/s 104 is a talented but fickle sort, lightly raced at intervals. On back form, e.g. a defeat of Malmesbury Missile in July of 2025, might have a squeak. He also showed up well behind Errol Flynn when last seen in July ’26.

8. Zeitz s/s 108 + has excellent credentials. Obviously, it's a logistical challenge travelling from Summerveld up to Johannesburg- some horses cope, others don’t. His overall form line withstands scrutiny, and he must have a serious shout given his powerful turn of foot, carrying 56.5 kilograms for excellent connections, Andre Nel and Sereno Moodley.

9. I Salute You s/s 106 would have a claim on a run in June ‘26 to Zeitz. However, subsequent starts have been less inspiring and draw 17 is a major deterrent.

10. Otto Luyken s/s 103 is a doughty veteran who has run some sharp races from the front. He should again be given every chance jumping from draw three, but he's arguably at his absolute best over further than a 1,600-metre journey. Might be done for finishing speed.

11. Calla Lagoon s/s 103+, an import from the Northern Hemisphere, has won its last two starts well enough at Turffontein. The speed figures weren't particularly flashy, but improvement is quite possible. Contender.

12. Grand Empire s/s 104 was excellent at three. Lightly raced this year though and will need to improve on mediocre starts in June and October. Draw 18 makes his task even harder, but on that three-year-old form, and factoring in high profile connections, Sean Tarry and Keagan de Melo, shouldn't be taken lightly.

13. Malmesbury Missile mixes his form; sports a best speed figure of 106. Will likely be ridden for luck, given a late closing style and wide draw. If acclimatized, then has a chance of running into the money at a big price.

14. Busstopinhounslow, a speed figure of 99 is below the winning par standard of 105. Draw 19 makes an already difficult task seemingly insurmountable. A low win strike rate of 4 from 25 is off-putting.

15. Greaterix, speed figure of 105 at three, but has battled physical issues since then, and it's now 658 days since he last won. Signs of life at his most recent start. It's not impossible that, if revived, he gatecrashes his way into the mix.

16. Kisshoten is an admirable six-year-old Erupt mare. She's very consistent yet now steps into tougher company. Must somehow boost her career top speed figure of 100.

17. Splittheeights hasn't run for 238 days but was one of the top three-year-olds on the Highveld, earning figures back then of 104. If M.M. de Kock have this four-year-old colt ready to rock and roll, he could be very dangerous, carrying just 53.5 kilograms.

18. Isivivane is another quite lightly weighted runner. Five wins from 18 starts. Best speed figure of 105. Appears held by Zeitz on their 26th July clash yet is game and a definite place hope.

19. Immediate Edge. Reserve runner. Best speed figure of 104. 

Selection:

8. ZEITZ

17. SPLITTHEEIGHTS

13. MALMESBURY MISSILE

18. ISIVIVANE

11. CALLA LAGOON

------------------------------