Joburg Prawn Festival at Turffontein

SASCOC Triple Crown is billed as horseracing’s ultimate test and with good cause.

Saturday 1 March will see the return of the Joburg Prawn Festival at Turffontein Race Course, where over two tons of prawns are expected to be sold at mouth watering prices (1/2 a kg of queen prawns for only R59 with chips or rice and a sauce of your choice), lots of children entertainment, beer garden for the adults and live music together with the finest of horse racing.

This series will make its way to Turffontein Racecourse this coming Saturday March 1, when the three race series will commence. The series comprises three top-level races in just eight weeks – the R1-million Gauteng Guineas over 1 600m, the R2-million SA Classic over 1 800m – March 29 and the R1.5-million SA Derby over 2 450m on April 26.

All three races are run at Turffontein, Phumelela’s flagship racing venue.

R2-million bonus awaits the horse that succeeds in winning all three legs, but it takes an exceptional horse to accomplish that feat – one who combines a rare blend of speed, stamina, courage and determination. In short, a true champion.

The R3.25-million Triple Tiara is the fillies’ equivalent of the Triple Crown.

The three legs of the Triple Tiara are run on the same days as the corresponding Triple Crown legs. The series comprises the R500 000 Gauteng Fillies Guineas over 1 600m, the R1-million SA Fillies Classic over 1 800m and the R750 000 SA Oaks over 2 450m.

Two fillies have won the Triple Tiara, Mike de Kock-trained Igugu in 2011 and Ormond Ferraris’ charge Cherry On The Top in 2013.

Organisers have really upped the ante this year with the introduction of the Triple Crown Polo Finish competition. The competition will see three brand new VW Polo Vivo’s being given away, one for each leg of the Triple Crown.

All you have to do is find your entry form in a copy of The Citizen newspaper and be at Turffontein on the day to enter. Ten finalists will be drawn at each leg of the Triple Crown and the final draw will happen on Saturday April 26, where all three cars will be given away.

National Marketing Manager for Phumelela Gaming, Michael Varney, said, “The success of last year’s Joburg Prawn Festival has grown so much that this year we have had to order over two tons of generously sized queen prawns, and we challenge anyone to beat the prices they will be sold at! We are expecting record attendance figures at the first leg of the Triple Crown, as race goers and prawn lovers alike stand a chance to win one of the three zooty Polo Vivo’s we will be giving away! I hope this will assist you and please don’t hesitate to give me a shout if you have any more queries. I am back in Johannesburg from next week and will give you a shout to discuss the Triple Crown as a whole!”

Gauteng horse racing is back with a bang, as over the next two months the Triple Crown is set to get the heart racing, when first class SA horse racing is paired with fantastic experiential days out for the whole family. Entrance, parking and children entertainment is free.