R1m race favourite for Tembisa school

Jockey Gavin Lerena can expect a message on social media from pupils at Tembisa Star Schools Centre on November 1. It will probably say: “Get a good night’s sleep you’ve got to ride for your life tomorrow.”

At Turffontein on November 2, it is the 2019 running of the Emperors Palace Charity Mile and at the draw at the Kempton Park Casino Resort on Wednesday the Tembisa school was coupled with the race favourite Buffalo Bill Cody.

“That’s a great draw for them,” said Peermont Emperors Palace COO Bob Yearham, who has been instrumental in the prize money for the grade 2 race being raised to R1m.

Buffalo Bill Cody, one of four runners from the Mike de Kock stable, did not draw as well as stablemates Barahin and Cascapedia. They drew barriers four and five, respectively.

De Kock decided to take out his star performer Soqrat who would have to have shouldered 63kg. It looks a wise move and he still has the strongest hand in the race.

Both Zillzaal, trained by Sean Tarry and the mount of Piere Strydom, and Infamous Fox, trained by Candice Dawson with MJ Byleveld up, will both jump from favourable draws.

If you fancy an early wager, it might pay to place an each-way bet on Tarry’s runner In The Dance. The choicely bred filly won well last time out and looks on the upgrade.

Jockey Callan Murray has a busy time ahead. He will be hoping to boot home the winner of the Charity Mile and a fortnight later he will be in the sixmember SA team in the International Challenge at Turffontein.

Murray held a licence to ride in Singapore until December, but due to lack of opportunities in the city-state, he decided to return here in August.

This was good news for the De Kock stable as he rode many winners for them before his departure.

At the Vaal on Thursday, Murray rides Milford Sound for the yard in the second race, but the filly will need to improve on a moderate debut at Greyville in August.

Probably the pick of Murray’s four rides at the Free State track is Littlewood who takes on 10 rivals in the fifth race over 1,800m. Trained at the track by Lucky Houdalakis, the Fort Wood mare ran second behind stablemate Wordyness last time out and can go one better this time.

Alec Laird has his string in good form and his runner Circle Of Latitude may pose the main threat to Littlewood. S’manga Khumalo won on the mare at Turffontein in September and will be in the saddle again on Thursday.

Khumalo has eight booked rides at the meeting and also has

is the date the R1m Emperors Palace Charity Mile is to be run at Turffontein