South African horseracing’s post-Covid renaissance took a giant step forward at a sun-drenched Hollywoodbets Greyville in Durban on Saturday with the 126th renewal of the R5 million Gr1 Hollywoodbets Durban July producing the magic in front of an excited crowd of over 30 000 people.
After two ‘lockdown’ runnings of Africa’s greatest horseracing event, nattily attired horseracing fans and once-a-year visitors supporting the ‘Show Me The Honey’ fashion theme came back in numbers and thronged through the turnstiles from early on Saturday as the Theatre Of Champions came alive with an electric buzz, which reached a deafening crescendo just before 4pm.
Ladysmith Black Mambazo’s spine-tingling rendition of our national anthem had the crowd on their feet as the spirit of Mzanzi shone bright and proud.
And then it was time for the showdown of champions.
After some minor drama at the 2200m start, with adrenaline running high and tensions at breaking point, the field was despatched to a roar from the crowd. The rose amongst the thorns bloomed brightest and it was flying filly, Sparkling Water, who soared to a thrilling victory.
The big winner on the day was horseracing, and of course the beautifully-bred 4yo Sparkling Water, a daughter of five-time Durban July winning stallion Silvano, who slammed the males in a dazzling display of power galloping to win the Hollywoodbets Durban July. She followed in the golden hoofprints of champion Igugu – also trained by the maestro, Mike de Kock, who celebrated his fifth success in a race every owner, trainer, breeder and jockey wants to win.
Sparkling Water was ridden by KwaMashu-born former champion, S’manga Khumalo, who last won the big race in 2013 on Heavy Metal. While the owner’s famous parents won the Durban July six times, it was a first victory for SA racing stalwart Mary Slack, in the famous black silks of her Wilgerbosdrift Stud.
While South Africa’s premier racing and social event reached a pinnacle on Saturday, the story of a dream commenced in February when South Africa’s leading sportsbook operator Hollywoodbets announced its sponsorship of the great race, with the stake boosted to an all-time record high of R5 million, thus making it South Africa’s richest graded stakes race.
In the build-up, the official public gallops held at Hollywoodbets Greyville on Thursday 23 June were attended by a large crowd, with premier coffees and pastries enjoyed as the champions were put through their paces. Sport stars mingled with the public and all the talk and speculation centred on 2 July.
A big race preview panel hosted by Alistair Cohen, and including eventual winning conditioner Mike de Kock and runner-up trainer Justin Snaith, as well as winning jockey S’manga Khumalo and Cape-based Grant van Niekerk was broadcast from Wednesday 29 June on Supersport, GallopTV, and Racing 240 as an informative tool for punters looking for a lifechanging winning day.
On 30 June, Hollywoodbets’ flagship outlet Springfield Park was packed to the rafters, with an outside marquee supporting the overflow of eager racing fans keen on hearing the insights of an expert panel of international caller Alistair Cohen, the Cape’s ‘Golden Voice’ Rouvaun Smit and acclaimed racing broadcaster Shaheen Shaw. Generous stretches were offered to players looking for a dream win and the party went on late in the true spirit of the sport of kings.
The partnership between Hollywoodbets and Premier League side Brentford FC was also proudly on show to the world on Saturday, with the running of the prestigious R1 million Brentford FC Gr1 Garden Province Stakes. History was once again made as Brentford FC became the first professional sports team to add their branding to a Grade 1 horse race in South Africa. Representatives of the club handed over the trophies to winning rider Warren Kennedy and trainer Gareth van Zyl of the top-class winner, She’s A Keeper.
The ever-popular free-to enter Hollywoodbets Punters Challenge offered a R10 million bonus to the player/s able to find all 12 winners on the card.
A record entry of over 22,000 players chased the big money and competition was tight. Unfortunately, it wasn’t easy to find all 12 winners, but the R250,000 must-be-won prize was happily shared by the top 100 on the leaderboard, with the eventual winner VIKY walking away with the first prize of R100,000.
Racing operator Gold Circle reported very pleasing betting turnovers on the day, with their total turnover on Hollywoodbets Greyville of R 41,9m versus the R 19,8m of 2021, showing the significant impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Over the Horse Racing Champions Season, Hollywoodbets ran a promotion giving away three Polo Lifes, with the first car prize giveaway done at the Hollywoodbets Gold Challenge race meeting on 11 June. On HDJ Day, it was Mlamuli Edwin Bhengu who was the big winner on the afternoon when he received the keys on Saturday to a beautiful new car. Phemelo Pilane walked off with a runner-up cash prize of R15 000, while Mberegeni Edward Mudau won R5 000. A third vehicle still awaits a new owner, with the draw taking place on Gold Cup Day at the end of the month.
There were a number of Hollywood activations on course with the popular competition for double tickets for an MSC cruise proving a winner. Four attendees stood a chance to win a MSC cruises for themselves and a partner, and a share of R50 000 in betting vouchers.
After a two-year absence, the Race Day Fashion Awards attracted huge interest as hundreds entered the various categories hoping for race day glory. Ismael Mchunu, of the Durban University of Technology, walked away with first place in the Young Designers Award, bagging R50,000 in bursary funding courtesy of Hollywoodbets, as well as R10,000 in cash. Silindile Ndlovu and Nhlahla Dlamini walked away with the runner-up prizes of R30,000 and R20,000 in bursary funding respectively.
All said and done, the 2022 Hollywoodbets Durban July is set to go down as a starting point for great things to come, with planning already underway for an even bigger and better renewal on Saturday 1 July 2023!
