Big changes for Cape Racing
CAPE TOWN – Important changes to the Cape summer season and potential changes to Kenilworth Racing’s properties were announced at a special function to herald the start of “The Summer of Champions” at Kenilworth Racecourse on Saturday 7 November.
The property committee has recommended several ideas to the Kenilworth Racing Board, one being the installation of a synthetic track at Durbanville. Discussions with the contractors who supply synthetic surfaces have reached an advanced stage but have not been finalised.
The presentation by Hassen Adams included a potential transformation of the Milnerton training establishment and Durbanville and Kenilworth racecourses, all of which if realised will materially contribute to the turnaround of the financial position of Western Cape Racing.
More exciting news announced on the night featured changes to the racing programme.
The Grade 1 R1-million Investec Cape Derby and Grade 1 R1-million Klawervlei Majorca Stakes will be moved forward a week from their usual berths on J&B Met Day to 23 January and will be on the same card as the CTS Million Dollar sales race.
In turn, the Grade 1 R1million Betting World Cape Flying Championship will be moved from 23 January to Met Day on 30 January.
The R1-million L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate card will remain on 9 January, when the Grade 1 R1-million Maine Chance Farms Paddock Stakes, the Grade 2 R400,000 Peninsula Handicap and the Grade 3 R250,000 Politician Stakes will also be run.
The changes to the programme create a third massive raceday in January.
The Queen’s Plate is widely regarded as the most prestigious weight-for-age 1600m race in the country and the L’Ormarins-sponsored meeting has become known as South Africa’s equivalent of Royal Ascot as it attracts an elegantly dressed crowd.
The Million Dollar is the dream-come-true race in the country and the tension in the air before its inaugural running is likely to be of huge proportions.
The race coincides with the CTS Cape Premier Yearling Sale on 21 and 22 January and January 2016 is now set to be the most powerful racing month in the country.