Probrably the best two horses in each sex in South Africa are set to battle it out on handicap terms in the Charity Mile Gr2 on Saturday week.

The current Horse Of the Year, Dave The King, is by many equations, the best horse over a mile in the country. With the depletion of stock to foreign shores this is even more true today.

Whilst in opposition in the female ranks, Frances Ethel, is the best of the female racing in South Africa with many having left for the United States and Gimme A Nother to Europe.

The improving filly, the once declared 'dead' by a prominent media outlet in July, is back and competing at the highest level with her best races seemingly in front of her.

The Team Valor owned SA Oaks winner is a narrow, leggy sort and looks the type to enjoy extra ground but has been devastating over the mile as well and this race sets up well for her under the handicap conditions. She has a win record of 4 from 7 starts, the best win percentage in the race.

Dave The King, on the other hand, carries a huge 63 kgs as opposed to the 58kgs of Frances Ethel. It is a prep run for her and maybe not so for the Champion miler who would target this race as a headline act in Joburg for his season even though it is still a comeback first run of the season. Expect him to be fitter than usual.

The Summer Cup could still be on the line for the De Kock inmate but the 2000m is a stretch. Whilst Frances Ethel will revel under those conditions especially with the British Champion Jockey Oisin Murphy flying in for the day to ride her at a very handy current bottom weight of 54kgs.

Others to consider include Barbaresco, whose jockey Gavin Lerena seems to be reunited on certain mounts for trainer Johan Janse Van Vuuren whilst Melech is a special miler, who has been rather disappointing to date. He will improve nicely into this second run of a layoff race for him.

Kzn raider, Gladatorian is a dark horse and the superb looking son of Vercingetorix flashed late last time out in the Spring Challenge over shorter.

Another Kzn stable, Peter Muscutt is raiding with Quasiforsure, a horse one is never quite sure of his best distance. Muscutt picks and chooses his races carefully like he did with Isivunguvungu when winning the Computaform Sprint a few years back. So this is no fancy dress parade for him.

In all, a smart race, that has attracted the cream of milers in two of the three major provinces wifv not much else missing.