Favourite a ‘hasbean’ in the bean stakes
THE Vodacom Durban July favourite – or at least the bean named after him – has fallen.
Edict of Nantes looked a bit of a “hasbean” in the Gold Circle Stakes, the annual fun race in the Greyville offices to see which bean, each one named after a runner in Saturday’s Vodacom Durban July, grows the most.
While the Edict of Nantes beanstalk was curling up yesterday, last year’s winner, The Conglomerate, was in the number one spot again, followed by Mr Winsome, then Safe Harbour, with Horizon, no longer a reserve, catching up.
Meanwhile, the big race sponsor, Vodacom, is continuing to paint the town red with its new branding.
A giant 36m billboard has gone up at King Shaka International Airport with another 25m banner placed in the arrivals hall. The airport escalators have also been branded.
Two 6.7m billboards went up outside the main entrance to Greyville Racecourse, where the biggest race on the African continent will be held on Saturday, while inside 2km of branded shaded netting was being positioned on the scaffolding.
Stairs leading to some of the hospitality suites have also been painted red.
Ticket sales are going well and it looks like being another sell-out crowd, with 55 000 fans cheering on their favourites.
There will not be a parkand-ride facility this year because more space has been opened up for parking on the golf course adjoining the track.
“And a lot of people are now using taxis,” said Ken Tweddell, Gold Circle’s event marketing manager, who had just taken delivery of the beautiful silver sash that would be placed around the winning horse’s neck.
Nandos, famous for its quirky and entertaining advertising, has also been busy, putting posters up around the racetrack, one reading: “Don’t chicken out on the 13th.”
The 13th is an unofficial race where punters, who have generally been drinking all day, strip off and run naked down the track, although, strangely, some keep their socks on.