THE running of this year’s Empress Club Stakes Grade 1 will be a royal affair at Turffontein Racecourse on Saturday, April 22, with the news that HSH Princess Charlene of Monaco will be in attendance at the Johannesburg track.
And her support of the raceday means a number of charities are set to benefit, among those the Red Cross, Highveld Horse Care Unit and Gugu Lesizwe Primary School.
“I look forward to once again attending a race meeting at the historic Turffontein Racecourse and, of course, continuing the support of a number of worthy causes,” Her Serene Highness Princess Charlene said of her involvement on the day.
“To have the horse-racing community rally behind this will be amazing, and being able to play a part in restoring some of the glamour back into the sport is also special.”
Princess Charlene was a special guest at the same venue back in 2012 when featuring at the Charity Mile meeting, which is held annually every November.
The funds for the charitable contributions will be garnered from a Diamond Drop raffle on the day, with a stone worth R150 000 sponsored by Petra Diamonds.
Tickets for the draw, which will see a helicopter swoop over the racecourse and drop a marker, are included in the all-inclusive hospitality packages of R1 250, with a luxury bus ride to the course departing from The Maslow in Sandton as well, for the Furious Room and on the Deck.
The package also includes access to the Champagne Bar on the ground floor. A strict dress code will apply in this area.
There’s also a fashion element on the day, with the incentive for gentlemen to come to the course dressed in top hats and tails. The alternative is black tie with a hat.
There will be four R10 000 cash prizes offered to the best-dressed couples in a number of venues.
The venues in question are the Elevation Room, Furious Room and Aquanaut Room.
General entrance to the racecourse is R50 and includes a voucher with the first 300 people on course also receiving a top hat or fascinator and u.18’s get in for R20.
For enquiries regarding the HSH Princess Charlene of Monaco Empress Club Stakes race-day, call 011 681 1508 or visit www.itsarush.co.za. Tickets can be purchased from Webtickets.
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