Have a flutter on the Durban July

It’s the first Saturday in July, the well-heeled and beautiful, the horse lovers and the paparazzi will be gathering in Durban to celebrate what is not only the greatest horse race in Africa, but an event which has become part of the social fabric of our country.

This year’s Hollywoodbets Durban July at Hollywoodbets Greyville Racecourse in the coastal city will continue an unbroken run of races which began on 17 July, 1897, when Campanajo was first across the line in what was then known as the Western Vlei in the Durban Turf Club Handicap over 1 600m.

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The event echoes with famous names – trainers like Syd Laird (a total of seven wins), Terence Millard (six wins); Mike de Kock and Justin Snaith (five wins each); and jockeys like Anton Marcus (who rode five winners), Harold “Tiger” Wright, Anthony Delpech and Piere Strydom (each with four winners); and Bertie Hayden Felix Coetzee and Richard Fourie (three winners each). And the horses, of course.

Every generation has the one they remember – but none sums up the drama of the race than Sea Cottage, the 1966 favourite, shot to prevent him from winning the race and costing some people a pile in betting money.

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The horse not only recovered to come fourth in that year’s race, but went on to win it the following year. Today’s Hollywoodbets Durban July will see history made as Do It Again (winner in 2018 and 2019) will race for a record sixth time.

Yet, it’s also about the glitz and the glamour, the pouting and posing… as well as proof positive that this country is capable of putting on truly world-class events. We shouldn’t be dreaming of the past, we should be looking at a bright, shiny future.

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So, enjoy the entertainment, the excitement and, maybe, have a flutter…