The Peermont Emperors Palace Charity Mile is a special race, because the 16 horses in the field all run for a charity, with their finishing positions determining how much money each of the charities wins.
The race is one of the most poignant occasions on the racing calendar.
A total of R550 000 is given away, with the charity tied to the winner taking home a cheque for R100 000.
Second place is worth R70 000 to the charity, with R50 000 for third, R40 000 for fourth, R30 000 for fifth and R29 000, R28 000, R27 000 and R26 000 for sixth to ninth.
The charities represented by the horses who finish 10th and 11th receive R25 000, with the last five charities getting R20 000 each.
No charity goes home empty-handed and, even if it is not represented by a runner because of a scratching, it will still get R20 000.
This year the Germiston City News is a media partner in the event.
The charity with which we are partnering is the Umkhathize Primary Aftercare Centre, in Thokoza.
The centre has 98 pupils.
The Peermont Children’s Trust has partnered with social development, which has taken over the foundation phase, and the pupils from the intermediary phase have been moved to Mapanzela Primary School.
Along with our charity comes a celebrity who will be the “face” of the charity at the event.
Award-winning 94.7 Highveld Stereo presenter Alex Caige is our celebrity.
At just 22 he has made a name for himself as an energetic and fearless broadcaster.
He is on air from 10pm to 1am every weeknight and also hosts the weekend breakfast show.
He’ll take a break from making waves on radio to be at the Charity Mile, this year.
Then, of course, we need a horse.
The horse who will be holding the hopes of the Umkhathize Primary Aftercare Centre high is Here Comes Billy.
A charity from Katlehong, Reahile Primary Aftercare Centre is also hoping its horse, Yorker, takes first place.
The centre caters for 78 children from Reahile, Zibuko, Tamaho, Monde and Mokgobeng Primary Schools.
The pupils are fed according to a menu provided by the Department of Health and Social Development and this centre has a jungle gym and library for the children to enjoy.
The GCN’s sister newspaper, African Reporter, is the media partner for Reahile and their celebrity is Fiona Nay, a model, presenter and cast member of e-tv soapie “Rhythm City” for the past three years.
A qualified personal trainer, she has travelled the world in a bid to perfect her skills, being mentored by well-known fitness gurus Wayne Zimer and Tim Dux, and training the Prince of Saudi Arabia for a while.
