2013 Algoa Cup winner, Disco Al (Coastal Photos)
Port Elizabeth is gearing up for their biggest racing weekend with a double header of the R150,000 Listed RA Stakes on Friday, 24 October and the R350,000 Gr3 Betting World Algoa Cup on Sunday, 26 October. Algoa Cup weekend is one of the highlights on the EC racing calendar and is always warmly supported, so make sure you book your spot early!
On Friday, Fairview hosts an 8-race card and while the R150,000 Listed RA Stakes may be the racing feature, Dorrie Sham and her team are hard at work to ensure that the East Cape Horse Care Unit will be the star of the show.
Megan Hope and her team at the ECHU do absolutely wonderful work and the charity race day is their biggest annual fundraiser. The team have worked hard to put together a great day out. They have pulled out all the stops to get all the races sponsored and would like to thank John Koster and Grant Knowles from Klawervlei Stud, Alan Demby and Len Sham from SA Gold Coin Exchange, Lawrence Wernars from Studio 88, Ashley & Rose Parker from Ascot Stud, David & Sandy Hepburn-Brown from Hemel ‘n Aarde Stud, Rennie & Alison Price from Wicklow Stud, Ian Leverton from I.L. Services and Sham racing and patrons for their generous support.
Tickets are available at R220 per person, or R2,000 for a table of ten (please contact Dorrie Sham by phone on 0825720505 or by email at [email protected]). Booking a ticket will have you all set for a fantastic day at the races and includes a race card, lunch, an evening cocktail party with snacks and entertainment and the ever popular charity auction to help raise some much needed funds for this very deserving organisation.
ECHCU’s Nellie
No Horse Care Unit event is complete without a Harry The Horse representative and Friday is no exception. The gorgeous, hand-made Nellie is keen to do her bit for needy equines and is looking for a new owner – at a price of course – a good-looking girl like her may be easy, but never cheap! Monday’s Betting World Algoa Cup has a stellar line-up and the runners will all be up for auction on Friday as well.
As always, Dorrie and her team have slaved to ensure that the charity auction boasts some serious collectibles and preliminary bids can be lodged either via the Africanbettingclan forum, or on the East Cape Horse Care Unit Charity Auction And Race Day Facebook page. Bidding has already begun in earnest!
Lester Piggott & Desert Orchid Print
There is a limited edition commemorative Titanic coin, generously donated by the SA Gold Coin Exchange and valued at R12,500. For art lovers, there are 2 limited edition prints by Jean Ashdown-Coats, kindly donated by Judy Brannigan and Glynn Davies. The first is of Frankel and Henry Cecil (signed by Sir Henry Cecil) and the second of Desert Orchid and Lester Piggott (signed by Lester Piggott), which are accompanied by a letter from the artist explaining the stories behind the prints.
Complete set of Legends of the Turf by Charl Pretorius
Bookworms will be fighting over a complete set of Charl Pretorius’ Legends of the Turf series (kindly donated and autographed by Charl) as well as another collection of 3 racing books including ‘Winning It Back – The Autobiography of Britain Biggest Gambler’ by Gary Wiltshire, ‘Gold Under Their Hooves – A History of Turffontein Turf Club’ by John Collings and ‘Doped: The Real Life Story of the 1960s Racehorse Doping Gang’ by Jamie Reid.
Racing memorabilia collectors will be spoilt for choice. Smanga “Bling” Khumalo has donated some items of his personal racing memorabilia including signed items from his recent outing to the Shergar Cup meeting at Ascot.
Selection of signed race cards
Liesl King has generously donated 3 race programmes from Ascot and British Champions Day, signed by a host of racing personalities including the likes of Frankie Dettori, Mike de Kock and John Gosden. Fans of Liesl’s photography can also bid on her photograph of Heavy Metal winning the 2013 Vodacom Durban July (signed by connections), a shot of Variety Club winning the Hong Kong Charity Mile (signed by the connections and accompanied by a race day poster), or a commemorative racecard and selection of photographs from the last meeting at Clairwood, to be printed on canvas and signed by Anton Marcus.
Mrs Brown’s Boys Calendar
There is a photograph of the finish of the Cheltenham Gold Cup Course signed by Lester Piggott and Dick Francis accompanied by a copy of Lester Piggott’s biography, also signed by Lester and Dick Francis and there is also a ‘Frankel Package’ which includes a copy of the Racing Post for his last race, a Royal Ascot programme, a Frankel rosette, pen, fridge magnet and key ring. For showbiz fans, Wayne Smith has donated a mini cricket bat signed by Liz Hurley and there is also an autographed Mrs Brown’s Boys Calendar and fridge magnet and there is also a signed Dolphins cricket shirt from David Miller. All proceeds will be donated to the ECHCU.
Events like these don’t come together without a lot of help from a lot of different people and Dorrie and Megan wanted to thank everyone who has given so generously, with particular thanks to Larry Wainstein and the RA for sponsoring the entertainment and cocktail party, all the race sponsors, everyone who has donated auction items and of course everyone who has already placed a bid.
Don’t forget to secure your ticket and head down to Fairview next weekend for some feel good fun, all in aid of a good cause !
