Charity Mile at fever pitch

Trainer Geoff Woodruff best summed up this year’s Grade 2 Peermont Emperors Palace Charity Mile when he said: “Overall this is a very strong field, probably the best Charity Mile field we’ve seen.”

It is true that some trainers see this race as a stepping stone to the Grade 1 Sansui Summer Cup and will be trying to avoid a penalty but there are others who feel one should not ignore a R600,000 gift horse.

Sean Tarry has not nominated Whiteline Fever for the Summer Cup so this race is the five-year-old gelding’s mission. He is in top form currently and is weighted to turn the tables on Wylie Hall based on their run in a Pinnacle Stakes over 1400m at Turffontein two weeks back. Wylie Hall beat Whiteline Fever by a neck but the latter will have a 0.5kg pull and should be able to turn that defeat around. In addition, Cherry On The Top ran a further 0.50 lengths back in third and is 2.5kg worse off with Tarry’s charge.

The question is how much have they all improved over the last couple of weeks. Wylie Hall was having his first start since finishing unplaced in the Vodacom Durban, Cherry On The Top was coming back from a break of more than four months while Whiteline Fever had not raced since finishing a 2.65-length fifth behind Jackson in the Grade 1 Champions Cup at Greyville on 27 July.

“Whiteline Fever is very well,” said Tarry. “He needed his first run back and he’s bound to have come on. I don’t believe much in the `second-run-after-a-layoff’ syndrome. If you’re prepared for the run then it doesn’t make a difference.

Whiteline Fever is one of those runners who is probably at his best over this trip, as he indicated when finishing a head second behind Mujaarib last year and going down a short head to Slumdogmillionaire in Grade 1 HF Oppenheimer Horse Chestnut Stakes. Raymond Danielson rode him on that occasion and he retains the ride.

Wilgerbosdrift Triple Tiara winner Cherry On The Top has a lot to do at the weights and is one of those going for the Summer Cup. However, she will improve markedly on her first run as trainer Ormond Ferraris said he had not even given her a grass gallop prior to her last run.

Although she is a Summer Cup entry, Ferraris will be happy to win this event. “I believe if you can, you must win. She can’t get very much more of a penalty if she does win this race,” said Ferraris. “She’s fine. I’ve had no problems with her preparation and I would say she’s come along since her last run.”

Cherry On The Top will be ridden for the first time by Piere Strydom who will relish jumping from draw No 2. “The going is great and she has a good draw,” said Ferraris. “We will position her and hope she will kick when asked.”

Wylie Hall loves this track. His five runs on the course have heralded three wins and two places. He would probably prefer further, even though he won over 1400m last time. The Weiho Marwing-trained runner raced fresh after his layoff and will no doubt prefer the 2000m of the Summer Cup.

However, he will be involved in the finish, especially with S’manga Khumalo up.

Those are the class horses of the race and should fight it out, but Woodruff has three decent runners in Tellina, Yorker and Killua Castle. Tellina will have to overcome a bad draw and is aimed at the Summer Cup while Killua Castle’s best recent form has been on the sand.

It is interesting to note that Yorker has been priced up s fourth favourite at 11-2 and according to Woodruff he has improved since having been gelded. “He has turned in a couple of very fine gallops and from a good draw I make him a serious runner,” said Woodruff.

One runner at the bottom of the weights who should give a good account of himself is War Horse. On the Gauteng Guineas run he is weighted to beat both Tellina and Killua Castle and is nicely drawn at No 3.