As we near the end of the World Sports Betting (WSB) Championships’ season, we are gearing up for a thrilling day of horse racing as Turffontein Racecourse presents Royal Race Day, dubbed Ladies Day featuring some of the country’s finest fillies on Saturday, the 15th of April 2023.
Royal Race Day is staged by the Racehorse Owners Association (ROA), supported by 4Racing, and is passionately driven by Princess Charlene’s father, Mike Wittstock. It gets its name from the race dedicated to Her Serene Highness (HSH) Princess Charlene of Monaco, the Grade 1 HSH Princess Charlene Empress Club Stakes, a Fillies and Mares Mile Championship which is featured on the day. This is round 4 of the exhilarating 5-part WSB Championships’ season, which will conclude with Champions Day later this month.
“We are proud to host this prestigious must-attend event that brings together royalty, fashion and the community through charity. We always look forward to seeing some excellent competition from the fillies and maidens on Royal Race day. We expect an enjoyable race day for all, from glitz and glamour brought by the ladies to spectacular wins for the punters, ” said Fundi Sithebe, Chief Executive Officer of 4Racing.
The annual tradition for Royal Race day to support charity will be upheld this year with the major beneficiary charity being The Earth Centre situated in Ruimsig. The centre provides equine therapy to the disabled, vulnerable and the disadvantaged, partnering with 11 special needs schools in Gauteng. Other charities that will benefit from the proceeds of the Royal Race Day are the Hamlet School for intellectually disabled children and their families, as well as the United Cerebral Palsy Association of South Africa – both of which are near the Turffontein Racecourse.
“This is not an ordinary Highveld horseracing event; this event has a special purpose which is particularly close to the hearts of HSH Princess Charlene as well as the Monaco Sport of Kings group. While the Royal Raceday has traditionally been one where the thrill of the race and the glamour of the occasion is highlighted, there is now the element of giving back to the community. It is about bringing people together, creating a sense of community and using the excitement of the races to make a positive impact in the area surrounding Turffontein Racecourse,” said Racehorse Owners Association CEO, Natalie Turner.
This race day will also highlightsome of the most promising fillies in the sport, as they vie for the coveted winner’s trophy. As its dubbed Ladies Day, this is the day for glitz and glamour and racegoers are encouraged to dress up according to the theme ‘Roaring 20’s Great Gatsby’.
The Best Dressed racegoers on the day will stand a chance to win a share of R15 000, the winner will walk away with R7 000, the runner up will get R5 000, and third place will win R3 000. Winners will be announced between 14h30 and 14h45 at the front of the parade ring.
The stakes are high for the smaller stables as the will be a bumper 18-horse field of maidens lining up in the R300 000 Monaco Sport of Kings Charity Maiden Sprint over 1160 meters.
In addition to the races, there will be plenty of activities to keep visitors entertained with a variety of food stalls offering a wide range of culinary delights, as well as live music, dance performances, and a host of other entertainment options to ensure that everyone has an exciting time.
Exciting races are expected on Royal Race Day, the final field for the HSH Princess Charlene Empress Club Stakes (Grade 1) Race is as follows:
| 1 | 5 | Desert Miracle | 60 | 124 | A | Craig Zackey | Mike de Kock | |
| 2 | 7 | Under Your Spell | 60 | 114 | THA | Luyolo Mxothwa | Sean Tarry | |
| 3 | 4 | Humdinger | 60 | 108 | A | S’manga Khumalo | Mike de Kock | |
| 4 | 6 | Marigold Hotel | 60 | 107 | HA | Richard Fourie | Sean Tarry | |
| 5 | 1 | Gimme A Shot | 57.5 | 113 | A | Juan Paul v’d Merwe | M G Azzie/A A Azzie | |
| 6 | 2 | Feather Boa | 57.5 | 108 | A | Keagan de Melo | Stuart Pettigrew | |
| 7 | 3 | Miss Daisy | 57.5 | 108 | T A | Ryan Munger | Billy Ruiters | |
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Here is a full race schedule for Royal Race Day:
Race 1: WORLD SPORTS BETTING JUVENILE PLATE over 1160m
Race 2: WSB SPINA WINA JUVENILE PLATE (Fillies) over 1160m
Race 3: MONACO SPORT OF KINGS CHARITY MAIDEN SPRINT over 1160m
Race 4: DARRELL HALL MR 103 HANDICAP over 1160m
Race 5: TERRY COCKING FM 98 DIVIDED HANDICAP (F & M) over 1800m
Race 6: STEPHEN STANWAY FM 78 DIVIDED HANDICAP (F & M) over 1800m
Race 7: WORLD SPORTS BETTING SPOOK EXPRESS STAKES (Listed) over 2400m
Race 8: HSH PRINCESS CHARLENE EMPRESS CLUB STAKES (Grade 1) 1600m
Race 9: RACEHORSE OWNERS ASSOCIATION FM 80 HANDICAP (F & M) over 1600
Race 10: WSB SPIN WITH THE BEST MR 87 HANDICAP over 1160
Punters and fun lovers are encouraged to come in their numbers as entrance to the race is free. Hospitality packages are available, call 011 681 1796 or email khanyal@4racing.com to find out more and to make bookings.
Those at home can catch the action live on Racing 240 on DStv Channel 240. To take part on the day and have a stab at the pools on offer, take a bet with TAB in-store or online at www.tab4racing.com.
ENDS