New sponsor plans to make the Met great

A record stake of R5 million will be on offer at next year’s Met at Kenilworth in Cape Town courtesy of new sponsor Sun International. The race, South Africa’s oldest major horse-racing event, first run in 1883, will now be known as the Sun Met.

ALSO READ >>> Why Mdu Masilela is SA’s ‘uncle bae’

The new stake is double what it was last year. Sun International’s sponsorship of the famous race and the doubling of the prize money were announced at a glittering function in Cape Town yesterday. International champagne brand Maison Mumm will partner Sun International in sponsoring Cape Town’s premier horse racing and social event.

Sun International will also partner with specialist hospitality company, Circa, expected to add its exclusive and high-quality flair to the raceday.

Sun International was quick to take up the reins as the title sponsor of the Met when the local distributors of J&B announced the brand would be ending its 39-year association with the race. “Given the gaming and social history of the Met, the synergy between our two premium entertainment and hospitality brands was immediately clear. We are therefore delighted and honoured to be associated with this prestigious event,” Sun International chief operating officer Rob Collins said.

“The Sun Met represents the oldest and grandest event on the South African entertainment calendar. We promise to bring elegance, sophistication, glamour and excitement to the event, and much more.”

For the Western Cape, the Sun Met is a highlight on Cape Town’s entertainment calendar, and an economic boost for the city. According to the city’s announcement last year, the Met had drawn more than 22 000 visitors, generating about R60 million.

The forerunner to the Met was run in 1787 and known as the Turf Club Purse. It was run on Green Point Common and won by a five-year-old Zemman Shaw.