Money talks; big guns listen and head for Fairest Cape

About 150 racehorses are descending on Cape Town from upcountry for the all-new Summer Festival of Racing, which kicks off on Saturday 19 November at Kenilworth.

Money is a great persuader and the massive increase in “raider” numbers is down to generous financial incentives offered by Cape Racing as part of its current mega-revamp.

Outside of Dennis Drier, a regular visitor from KwaZulu-Natal, recent Western Cape summer seasons have seen barely a dozen “outsiders” from other centres over the course of a three-month season. This time it’s different.

Already installed in their summer lodgings are Durban-based Peter Muscutt and father and son rivals Gavin and Gareth van Zyl. Ashley Fortune arrived with her visiting string from the Vaal this week and the powerhouse Joburg stables of Sean Tarry, Mike de Kock and Johan Janse van Vuuren are expected any day.

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Among the likely visiting equine stars are Durban July hero Sparkling Water from De Kock’s yard, along with the maestro’s crack three-year-olds Shoemaker and Bonete. Van Vuuren is likely to float down his talked-about unbeaten fillies Gobsmacked and Southern Skies.

Justin Vermaak, head of racing operations at Kenilworth, says the money incentives have been key to boosting interest in the summer season.

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“In addition to far bigger purses for feature races – with sponsors such as Hollywoodbets and World Sports Betting – prize money for minor races has also been hiked across the board, with even humble maiden plates getting a 100% boost,” says Vermaak.

He explained that the Summer Festival of Racing was based on the model of Dubai’s Carnival of Racing, with nine major Saturday meetings, within an overall summer season, being promoted as special events – with added entertainment, pizzazz and “a different feel”.

Major races, mega-prize money

These meetings will be headlined by major races with mega-prize money, and include Guineas, King’s Plate, Met and Derby days. The Festival curtain-raiser on Saturday has the R500,000 Cape Punters Cup topping the bill. The name of this race is significant: it sets the tone for the day’s theme, which is punters and their contribution to the game. Each Festival day will have a different theme.

The Grade 2 Punters Cup was once the Selangor Cup, associated with Malaysian racing, then the Concorde Cup, under a sponsorship which has ended.

Also on Saturday’s card are the R225,000 Sophomore Sprint (Listed) and the R175,000 Summer Bowl, a new event that has drawn a top-class field of females prepping for bigger things to come.