The Gr 2 Peermont Emperors Palace Charity Mile tops a bumper card at Turffontein on Saturday and, with a number of key contestants either having their first run of the current season or drawn poorly (in some cases, both) it looks a wide open affair. Among those who have had a prep run, the proven class act, by far, is trainer Gavin Van Zyl's No Worries and the 5-year-old son of Kahal may just be ready to land the biggest win of his career (he has won the KZN Breeders Million Mile, which carried more stakes but, due to its restricted nature, was not run at graded level).

No Worries has proven himself against the best in the country, having placed in such Gr 1 events as the Vodacom Durban July, Daily News 2000, Queens Plate and Champions Cup. This is his third run of the season and he should be cherry ripe, having had a nice pipe-opener in the Gr 3 Spring Challenge, a race in which he edged out the game Midnight Run after a rousing duel in the closing stages. He's now 2kg worse off, but will be much better suited to this stiffer track and the extra 150m, and he should confirm the form here, especially he would not have been fully primed last time out.. His biggest challenge is likely to be a horrible draw, but Turffontein is probably the one track in the country where one can get away with it over this trip and he has shown in the past that he has the early speed to get across and race handy. It's not an easy task by any means, but he may just be the one to follow here.

Trainer Geoff Woodruff sends out five runners, of whom Louis The King is the star attraction. The Triple Crown winner returns to his favourite track following a disappointing winter campaign in Durban where nothing went right for him. The trip is on the sharp side for him these days and he is also drawn out in the sticks, but sheer class means that he cannot be ignored. The Summer Cup is his main mission and his connections will be pleased to see a running-on effort here.

Tellina has the class, having been been Gr 1 placed on six occasions, most recently in last season's July, but also returns from a break and may prefer slightly further, while Rake's Chestnut was touched off in the Daily News 2000 but disappointed with a flat seasonal debut when well beaten by No Worries in the Spring Challenge. He did have excuses that day and is worth another chance with Anton Marcus up, but he does need a forward showing here to restore the faith.

Killua Castle was third in this race last here and is not short of ability having won the Gr 3 Jubilee Handicap and run well in such races as the Gauteng Guineas and Summer Cup. However, consistency is not his strong suit and while he could easily make the frame if in  galloping mood, it's hard to know what to expect of him.

The best of the Woodruff runners over this course and distance could well be Lockheed Jetstar. The lightly-raced 6-year old. has always hinted that he has a big win in him and there was a lot to like about the way he flew up late to land the Thukela Handicap at Greyville at the beginning of July. He also has a question mark over his fitness but if he takes to racing fresh, he could play a big part in the finish.

Trainer Alec Laird sends out three runners, of whom As You Like performed with distinction in the Triple Crown, placing in all three legs and giving Louis The King plenty of competition in the last two legs. His subsequent failure in the Daily News 2000 is easily forgiven, given that he'd had such a tough season already, but he has not run since that event at the end of May and has to overcome both fitness issues and a bad draw.

Bezanova ran well in the first two legs of the Triple Crown and followed up with a cracking second to Legislate in the KRA Guineas at Greyville. He made rather heavy weather of winning a Graduation Plate last time out but was having his first run of the season and should come on for it. If he reproduces the best of his classic form, he must have a chance.

Bouclette Top completes the Laird trio and is an interesting customer. Fourth in the first two legs of the Triple Crown, he didn't seem to see out the trip in the final leg, the SA Derby and was then rested for nearly six months. His return, a fortnight ago, was encouraging as he stayed on for fourth in a Pinnacle event over 1450m and he will strip a lot fitter now. Handily weighted, he should be included in trifectas and quartets.

Robbie Sage's Sovereign Mint is highly progressive, having won four in a row and while he has been taking on weaker opposition that he meets here, is relatively lightly raced and could have more scope for improvement. He's well drawn, course and distance suited and in the form of his life. He could be equal to the task here.

Midnight Run is as honest as they come and ran well when going down to No Worries in the Spring Challenge, but his stamina over this testing mile is suspect at this stage and only the race will tell if he is in fact looking for the extra distance.

Glorious Jet is capable on his day and posted a good win under a big weight two runs back. That was against much weaker, though, and his recent efforts against stronger company have been rather lacklustre.

Brooks-Club has some decent big-race form to his name but hasn't always lived up to that promise and it's not easy to work out what he will put in on the day.

Tiger's Retreat is quite handily weighted on his win in the Victory Moon Stakes last season, but he has failed to show the same spark in two subsequent efforts and hasn't been seen out for nearly ten months.

Sand specialists Tommy Gun and Jet Jamboree complete the line-up, the former having posted a handsome victory in the Emerald Cup last time out. However, their credentials on turf in this company are now under scrutiny and while Jet Jamboree showed some promise on grass earlier in his career, his present chances as a 7-year-old, whose best recent efforts have come on sand, are hard to assess.

This is a race which has produced many an upset in recent years and it would be no surprise to see it happen again here. No Worries seems to have got his mind on the job again, though, and looks the one to be with, although the draw will pose serious difficulties. There are several others with chances, of course, but the biggest threats may come from Lockheed Jetstar and Sovereign Mint. Louis The King's class may just see him through into the minor money even as he gears up for his main target a month down the line, with Bezanova and Bouclette Top also worth inclusion.
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