Horseracing will take centre stage in Port Elizabeth on Friday 25 October and Sunday 27 October with the annual double header at Fairview Racecourse.
As has been the norm over the past few years, fashion and fun will headline the occasion with the spotlight on Sunday, from a racing perspective, falling on the Listed R350 000 Algoa Cup over 2000m on the turf track.
In fact, with racing also taking place at Fairview on Monday 21 October, it could well be the first time that Port Elizabeth has hosted three race meetings in one week.
The Algoa Cup often attracts runners from all over the country and the race has been dominated by the visitors.
Subsequent champion stayer Magnificent Seven wins the Algoa Cup (Pic – Pauline Herman)
Nevertheless, the winners have also been top-class runners in their own province as one can see from last year’s winner, Magnificent Seven, who went on to be named Champion Stayer at the recent Equus Awards.
The Algoa Cup meeting will be interlaced with musical entertainment and a best-dressed competition with great prizes up for grabs, including boom boxes, small electrical appliances, cooler boxes and betting vouchers.
There will be a large variety of food on offer ranging from burgers and chips to Chinese cuisine.
Friday’s race meeting, which sees the running of the R150,000 Racing Association Stakes (Listed) for three-year-olds, is hosted by the East Cape Horse Care Unit and will be used to raise much-needed funds for an organisation which performs sterling work, attending to the welfare of all horses in the province.
The first fundraiser was held in 2007 and was arranged by trainer Dorrie Sham on behalf of the unit. All monies raised are used to pay for operational costs such as food, vet bills and fuel for the vehicles to get around.
“Without the fabulous support of the racing fraternity in general we would not have been able to do the things we do for Equines in Port Elizabeth and the surrounds, including the Transkei,” said Megan Hope of the East Cape Horse Care Unit.
“We are ever so thankful for all the support, as sometimes it gets very hairy to generate funds, and operational costs must be met on a monthly basis.”
Entries for the Algoa Cup close at 11am on Thursday 3 October.
Supplementary entries close at 09am on Thursday 10 October after which the weights will be published.
Declarations close at 10am on Monday 21 October.
- Press release published by Phumelela on 18 September 2019
