Interesting facts you didn’t know about the Durban July

The first Durban July race was run in the year 1897 on 17 July and this has since changed because the Durban July is now held on the first Saturday of July, hence the name Durban July. The first Durban July race was at a distance of 1 mile (approx 1600m), and this has changed over the years and the current Durban July distance is 2200 meters.

The Durban July is not only popular for the race itself, but its popularity stems from the fact that it has grown a reputation of being one of the most glamorous events in South Africa. On the first week of July, all roads lead to Durban and all the celebrities will be out to showcase their outfits and in the process making the Durban July an entertainment extravaganza.

The Durban July is held at Greyville Racecourse in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal. Raced on turf. The Durban July Handicap is open to horses of all ages and several horses have been part of this prestigious horse racing event. Some of the races to have participated at the Durban July include Campanajo, Corriecrian, Milesia Pride, El Picha. These four horses deserves special mention because they remain the only four horses to have successfully managed to win the Durban July Handicap back-to-back.

Sydney C. Laird is the most successful trainer in the history of the Durban July as he won it seven times in the 60s and 70s. Terence M. Millard is second with a total of six wins. He won these between 1983 and 1990. The story of the Durban July trainers will not be enough without mentioning Trainer F. Murray who won it four years in a row from 1910 through 1913.
Harold “Tiger” Wright and Anton Marcus are the most successful jockeys in the history of the Durban July with four wins each, followed by Bertie Hayden and Felix Coetzee with a total of three wins each.

What makes this race special is the fact that it is a very lucrative horse race as it currently offers a purse of R2.5 million (US$360,000).