A DAY OF FESTIVITY AS TRIPLE CROWN SPARKS TO LIFE

As part of an ongoing effort to market the sport of horseracing to a younger audience, while also promoting the lifestyle elements that go hand in hand with the sport of kings the Racing. It’s A Rush Member’s Lounge was well received by a new generation of racegoers on Saturday.

The opening weekend of the Triple Crown on the Highveld, the alternate first leg was decided in Cape Town in December, provided the perfect opportunity for new faces to racing to make a day of it at Turffontein Racecourse.

And what a day it turned out to be as trainer Mike De Kock brought up 3000 career winners, a first for South African racing with Janoobi taking the laurels in the Betting World Gauteng Guineas (Gr 2).

‘We couldn’t have written the script any better. The last three wins, all achieved on the afternoon, were in feature races and that’s just a testament to my dad and the man that he is,” Matthew De Kock, assistant trainer and vital cog in the De Kock machinery, said.

There were a number of other highlights as well as Smiling Blue Eyes made her intentions known in the Triple Tiara, where a R1-million bonus awaits the winner of all three legs, as well as the successful hosting of the Joburg Prawn Festival.

For the racegoers in the Member’s Lounge the day included raceday tours with trips to the parade ring to educate them about the finer points of horseracing. In between the racing there was food and entertainment which added to the vibe.

The strict jackets only dress code for the gents and Summer Chic for the ladies also resulted in a number of fantastic looks for raceday.

“There’s definitely a vibe in here and I think this is exactly what young people want,” Busi Manunga, from Destiny Magazine, said of the event.

“The Member’s Lounge concept allows us to tailor the day to the needs of a new audience who are looking for new ways to spend their time and this also helps us target a brand new wave of horseracing fans,” Jenna Potgieter, brand manager for Racing. It’s A Rush, said.

“There have been lots of smiling faces and we’ve given them an experience while also educating them about horseracing at the same time.

“We’re excited about this concept and we’ll be looking to continue through the triple crown and the remainder of the Highveld Feature Season,” Potgieter added.