Dave in final Charity Mile field

Minimum bonus to the 19 charities upped to R30,000.

- Jack Milner

Equus Horse Of The Year Dave The King was confirmed as a runner for the R1-million Allied Steelrode Onamission Charity Mile.

The Grade 2 race over 1600m will be run on the Turffontein Standside track on Saturday 2 November.

A full field of 16 runners plus three reserves were unveiled at a function held at Turffontein on Wednesday. Dave The King will be having his first run since winning the Grade 1 World Pool Champions Cup at Hollywoodbets Greyville on 28 July. As the Charity Mile is a handicap the Global View gelding has been allotted top weight of 63kg.

However, he is well enough drawn in gate No 3 and will be ridden by Champion Jockey Richard Fourie.

“It’s a million-rand gallop,” said trainer Mike de Kock on Wednesday. “He’s looking better than I’ve seen in a while but he’s coming off a rest and the long-term plan is the L’Ormarins King’s Plate.”

That race will be run at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth in January.

De Kock has four other runners in the main draw – Silver Sanctuary, Safe Passage, Gimmeanotherchance and Shoemaker – as well as first reserve runner Zinovi.