Local charities to benefit from race
JOBURG - Local charities will benefit from the Champions Day at Turffontein on 25 April.
Local charities will benefit from the Champions Day at Turffontein on 25 April.
The day will have its usual multi-cultural flavour as one of the day’s biggest attractions is the Intercontinental Village, in which 11 different communities are showcased by food stalls, craft, costumes and live on stage performances. The Intercontinental Village adds a rich vibe to one of Johannesburg’s most festive occasions. The jollity in the village reaches a crescendo during one of the main races of the day, the R2-million Grade 1 SA Derby, because each community is represented by one of the horses in this big race and in turn, the community represents both a charity and a media partner.
The communities have already been paired with their respective charities and media partners and a draw to be held on 15 April will decide which horses will run for them. Three other entities that will have a strong presence on the day, Ferrari, Sojo and Racing It’s a Rush, will also be attached to a charity and a media partner and will have a horse running for them too.
The charity draw follows the announcement of the final field for the SA Derby and is being looked forward to, especially by the charities, with much excitement. The horse that every charity would likely want to draw would be the Grade 1 SA Classic winner French Navy, so charities will be on tenterhooks in anticipation of his name being drawn.
The event will add to the Champions Day build-up. Champions Day is one of the top race meetings on the South African calendar and there is much to look forward to from a racing purist and a social point of view.
The meeting features five Grade 1 events, the R2-million SA Derby, the R2-million President’s Champions Challenge, the R1-million Wilgerbosdrift SA Oaks, the R1-million Computaform Sprint and the R1-million SA Nursery, as well as four Grade 2s.
The SA Derby and SA Oaks are the respective last legs of the SA Triple Crown and the Wilgerbosdrft Triple Tiara. The SA Oaks will be a particularly-exciting race as the Sean Tarry-trained filly Siren’s Call bids to become the third horse in history to land the Triple Tiara.
If she does it she will also land a R1-million bonus for her connections. On the social side, there will not only be the Intercontinental Village to enjoy, but also track-side stalls and music, a mechanical bull, slides, a rock wall and a jumping castle and there will also be a fine fare and excellent viewing facilities available in the various rooms in the huge Turffontein grandstand. Gates open at 11am, and entry and parking is free.
Details: 011 681 1702.
