No freebies for punters in the upcoming Charity Mile

Horse racing aficionados reckon their game is superior to other forms of gambling because you need refined analytical skills to unearth winners.

- Mike Moon

They'll be needing a high degree of those skills if they are to successfully unravel the mystery that is the Allied Steelrode-Onamission Charity Mile at Turffontein on Saturday.

There are so many imponderables and debateables about the 16-strong lineup that the Lotto starts to look a cinch.

The Charity Mile is a Grade 2 event with a R1 million purse, which makes it aspirational on a few levels. But it's also positioned on the calendar as a warm-up for the more prestigious Grade 1 Betway Summer Cup in a month's time.

Which horses have specifically targeted this race and which are using it as preparation for Joburg's biggest race?