Splittheeights to return for charity
There is probably no other racemeeting in the world that can be compared to the Grade 2 Allied Steelrode Onamission Charity Mile.
This event over 1600m on the Standside track at TAB Turffontein on Saturday, Race 7 on the 10-race card, has always been unique, and this year it is even bigger and better.
For the first time there will be a field of 18 runners, and they will be supporting 20 charities, all of which will be taking home at least R40,000.
This year, with the expanded field, this race looks particularly competitive. For a start, it is a handicap and runners are weighted according to their merit ratings, which reflect how they have performed throughout their careers.
There are quite a few questions that bettors need to ask themselves in a race like this. Firstly, have the handicappers got it right? In other words, is the merit rating a true reflection of the horse’s current ability or is there room to maneuver?
The other issue is whether there are any other factors that could impact on the horse’s performance, such as its fitness, jockey, trainer or draw?
In some cases one has to accept that perhaps one of those will need to be taken on trust and that could well be the case with Mike and Mathew de Kock-trained Splittheeights.
This four-year-old son of Vercingetorix has only run six times for three wins, and three places. His worst run came on debut when he was beaten just 3.20 lengths by Sean Tarry’s Grand Empire who has played a huge role in his form lines and who he will be facing again in this race.
The pair met again in the Grade 2 TAB Gauteng Guineas over this course and distance at level weights and this time it went the way of Splittheeights.
Just four weeks later they squared up for the third time, in the Grade 1 TAB SA Classic over 1800m, where Grand Empire took the victory with Splittheeights in third.
That race was on 7 March and the De Kock runner has not been seen in action since. However, on their website the De Kock’s did comment that their charge had put up a great gallop on the turf a couple of weeks back and that is the one factor that needs to be taken on trust. Nevertheless, if there is training team capable of pulling off the feat, it is the De Kocks.
Everything else is strongly in his favour. He will carry just 53.5kg, jumps from No 4 draw and has Callan Murray in the irons.
Grand Empire, on the other, has had a warm-up run but has to give 1kg to his regular rival and will jump from No 18 draw.
Of the other runners, Calla Lagoon could make his mark on the race. This UK import is a five-year-old son of New Bay and has won two of his three starts since joining Stuart Pettigrew’s yard. He had six races in the UK, winning once over 1400m and placing twice.
All of his runs in South Africa have been on the Inside track but he has had a win over 1600m. Of course, this will be his acid test as he will carry 55kg and will jump from barrier No 10 with regular rider Philasande Mxoli in the irons.
Of the raiders, Zeitz, trained by Andre Nel, is of particular interest. He has won three of his last five starts and his only recent unplaced performance was in the Hollywoodbets Durban July. He is one of those horses who needs to be given a chance and the long Turffontein straight should be ideal for him.
Serino Moodley is back in the saddle.
There are some other runners worth considering headed up by Tarry-trained Cosmic Speed, who won the Grade 1 HF Oppenheimer Horse Chestnut Stakes over this course and distance in 2025 and looks to be regaining his form. Champion jockey Craig Zackey takes the ride. Choisaanada, from the Erico Verdonese stable, put up a decent run in the Betway Joburg Spring Challenge and must be considered as well as De Kock-trained I’m A Fireball with Muzi Yeni in the irons.
There are a series of other feature races on the card, in particular the TAB Graham Beck Stakes and the TAB Starling Stakes for fillies. Both are Grade 3 races over 1400m and are restricted to three-year-olds.
There are a number of opportunities for punters to go away with huge money – if they can piece it all together.
In particular, we have a Pick 6 carryover of R1 million with the pool likely to reach R5 million. This is not an easy card and most of the races are closely matched, so there could be some life-changing money for those able to find the right permutation.
Another bet worth thinking about is the Quartet in Race 7, because those able to pinpoint the first four horses past the post are also likely to walk away with a fistful of dollars.
Of course, we will have representatives of all the charities at the racecourse, cheering for their runners.
The charities have each drawn a horse and the amount they receive will depend on where their selected runner finishes in the race. The charity that draws the winner will receive R140,000, the second placed finisher will get R100,000, R70,000 for third and R50,000 for fourth.
The remaining 16 charities will each receive R40,000, no matter where their horse finishes and even if they don’t have a runner.
Jack Milner’s selections
Race 1: 8 From Winter, 2 The Buffalo, 7 Frederico Cagishas, 12 Smoke And Shadows
Race 2: 13 Miss Barbados, 16 Quintarelli, 6 New York Groove, 1 Piteraq
Race 3: 13 Catfish, 14 Trompe L’Oeil, 9 The Specialist, 1 African Pride
Race 4: 2 Flower Island, 1 Get Up, 4 Alice B Toklas, 3 GRaceood Day Sunshine
Race 5: 8 Fierceness, 1 Fish Tales, 3 Bisou Bisou, 11 Kings Mountain
Race 6: 6 Tomyris, 4 Rahhabba, 5 Into Dancing, 10 First Wish
Race 7: 17 Splittheeights, 11 Calla Lagoon, 8 Zeitz, 1 Cosmic Speed
Race 8: 5 Curious Girl, 2 Best Candidate, 7 Corrupt, 8 Battleground
Race 9: 5 Mastership, 2 Sunset Riot, 3 King Harald, 1 Immediate Edge
Race 10: 6 Dog In The Fog, 4 Periodic Table, 2 Evening Parade, 5 Highwayman Harry
BEST BET
Race 8: 5 Curious Girl
VALUE BET
Race 5: 8 Fierceness
BEST SWINGER
Race 4 1×2
BIPOT
R216
Leg 1: 6, 13, 16
Leg 2: 13, 14
Leg 3: 2
Leg 4: 1, 3, 8
Leg 5: 4, 5, 6
Leg 6: 1, 8, 11, 17
PLACE ACCUMULATOR
R162
Leg 1: 13, 14
Leg 2: 2
Leg 3: 1, 3, 8
Leg 4: 4, 5, 6
Leg 5: 8, 11, 17
Leg 6: 5
Leg 7: 2, 3, 5
PICK 6
R2520
Leg 1: 1, 2
Leg 2: 1, 3, 8, 10, 11
Leg 3: 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 10
Leg 4: 1, 2, 5, 8, 11, 17
Leg 5: 5
Leg 6: 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 9, 12
JACKPOT 1
R180
Leg 1: 1, 3, 8, 10, 11
Leg 2: 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 10
Leg 3: 1, 2, 5, 8, 11, 17
Leg 4: 5
JACKPOT 2
R126
Leg 1: 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 10
Leg 2: 1, 2, 5, 8, 11, 17
Leg 3: 5
Leg 4: 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 9, 12