Charity for the horse

THE Western Cape Equine Trust (WCET) will be hosting their annual charity raceday at Kenilworth on Saturday, November 25.

The Trust, a registered Public Benefit Organisation, has been raising funds to help improve the life of equines since 2005.

Rehoming Program

Its Rehoming Program focuses specifically on the safe and secure future of thoroughbred racehorses once they are retired from their racing career.

Many of them are retired as young as two or three-years-old.

The rehoming programme is run by volunteers and most of the horses come directly from racing, having been donated by owners, trainers and breeders who care about the future of their horses. A few have come through “rescue” situations, having been sold on and landed up in dire circumstances.

Last year, the Trust was able to raise R260,000 through a charity auction held shortly before the running of the CTS Southern Cross Stakes as well as from the sale of races and tables on the day.

Chairman Ken Truter said the Trust would love to equal or better that figure on this year’s raceday, but that they face a harder task.

Sell to sponsors

He told Turf Talk: “We only have eight races this year, that’s eight races to sell to sponsors, and they exclude a feature race.

“But we know that racing’s benefactors always try their best to help with causes like ours, so we’ll work hard to achieve the highest figure we can.

“We will have a special lunch on the day, so we will be selling tables again and like last year we will have an auction.

“We’re collecting all sorts of special things to auction off, there will be a raffle and a collection of prizes to give away.”

Truter, who is presently in London, added: “I am mailing Bernard Kantor this morning to see if we can secure a few tickets to next year’s Investec Derby. I cannot make this official yet, but let’s hope Mr Kantor can help.”