Warrior wins big at Charity Mile

TURFFONTEIN – It was a battle of big names in this year’s Emperors Palace Charity Mile, but Royal Zulu Warrior showed his pace just finishing ahead of the smart field.

The Charity Mile took place at Turffontein Race Course on Saturday November 2 boasting an enthusiastic crowd which comprised of charities, celebrities and the horse racing fraternity.

Karl Zechner managed to keep Royal Zulu Warrior on track to hold off a late charge from Glorious Jet and Alberton apprentice jockey Keagan de Melo win to pull off a shock win. Seven-year-old gelding Royal Zulu Warrior, a talented horse beset by injury and long considered to be an out-and-out sprinter, ensured a whopping R100 000 for the charity which he was racing for Maphanzela Primary Aftercare Centre having Gerry Elsdon as their celebrity and one of the Caxton newspapers, Kempton Express as the Media Partner.

This was only the eleventh start in three years of racing for Royal Zulu Warrior and was his sixth victory.

Royal Zulu Warrior and Maphanzela were linked with television celebrity Gerry Elsdon, who exclaimed after the victory: “I felt like I was on this horse myself during the race. With a name like Royal Zulu Warrior how could he not win!” said Elsdon afterwards.

Zechner said, “I rode him when he won first time out by nine lengths, so I knew he was a nice horse. He later had a two-year break and I won on him after that too. I always knew he’d go further, but he was doing so well sprinting.”

While the winning charity got the biggest cheque, all 16 participating charities benefited from the hugely popular race day, which is growing in importance and prestige on the Highveld racing calendar.

Even the last-placed horse delivered a R20 000 cheque for its charity.

The richest race on the Charity Mile day programme, the R3-million Emperor’s Palace Ready To Run Cup, was an excellent advertisement for the Ready To Run Sale taking place in Germiston over the weekend.

Jockey Karl Zechner judged the pace beautifully, striking at the right time to snatch the honours in the Grade 2 R600 000 contest – holding off a valiant challenge up the inside rail from St John Gray’s Glorious Jet (10-1), ridden by apprentice Keagan de Melo.

Three lengths back in third place was Killua Castle (10-1), one of three fancied runners from the Geoff Woodruff stable, while fourth place went to Whiteline Fever (9-1). Fifth was second favourite Yorker (7-2), just ahead of favourite Cherry On The Top (3-1).