First Race Of The Year – L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate

As I delve further into the world of horseracing with the people at Racing. It’s A Rush, my year ended with a flurry of activity, from the Emerald Cup and International Jockeys' Challenge to the Sansui Summer Cup. A year of horse racing firsts beckon this year, since I’ve never even attended the Vodacom Durban July, but that will change starting with the 154th L’Ormarins Queen's Plate happening this weekend, January 10th, 2015, at Kenilworth Racecourse (which is South Africa's oldest racecourse) in Cape Town. It is South Africa’s oldest race having first been run in 1861 in honour of Queen...

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A Day At The Races

I attended the launch of Sansui Summer Cup 2014 happening on November 29th at Turffontein Racecourse as part of my journey into the world of horse racing. The weekend before I also attended my first race day at the Emerald Cup at the Vaal Racecourse, spending time with the people from Racing…it’s a rush. I spent half the time trying to decipher and learn about the race ‘brochure’ breaking down each horse, its performance in the last couple of races, the odds, how to bet, etc. Eventually I was just going for names that I liked and, out of 5 races, I called winners in 4, including the main...

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Into The Rush Of Horseracing

There are certain events on the South African social calendar that seem to be as much (if not more) about hype than the actual event. I have always felt the Durban July and, to a slightly lesser extent, the Met in Cape Town are two such events. The excitement around these occasions is often focused on marques, fashion and partying. I’ve never had the opportunity to attend either and I have often joked that the first time I attend will probably when I own a horse running in the race. Growing up in Lesotho, I’ve been exposed to horses – including riding up and down mountains when the snows are...

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