Phil Georgiou of Let’s Go Travel will be hosting a group of South African racing enthusiasts for the 25th time in Dubai during the week of the 2025 Dubai World Cup, scheduled for Saturday, 5 April. With the exception of 2020, when the annual desert extravaganza was cancelled due to COVID-19, Phil and his group of colourful travellers have been a consistent presence at the event.
SA On Tour, Let’s Go Travel style (Pic – 4Racing)
Due to their prominence during DWC week, including their contributions on the race days, Phil’s faithful band of racing fans was recognised last year with an award of acknowledgment by the Dubai Racing Club.
Their first racing trip took place in 1999. Phil brought a number of close friends, including Paul Lafferty, ‘Chalky’ White, and Claude ‘Cannonball’ Makins, to watch the Dubai World Cup, which was then valued at $USD5 million.
It was won by Almutawakel (Machiavellian), ridden by Richard Hills, who secured a first win in the race for Dubai’s ruler, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, under his Godolphin banner.
This was a time for significant growth and development in the region. Dubai was already a major trading hub, but Sheikh Mohammed was starting to focus on developing the economy away from its dependence on oil to promote real estate, financial serves and tourism.
Large groups of engineers and construction staff, worked around the clock. State-of-the art malls and skyscrapers rose rapidly, road networks were upgraded and expanded and some of the world’s most exclusive hotels were erected in downtown Dubai and along the Gulf Strip.
Stable visit with friends – ‘Mr George’ on the right (Pic – 4Racing)
Phil and several more mates attended the 2000 Dubai World Cup, aptly won by Godolphin’s Dubai Millenium. By the time 2001 rolled on, the group had grown to an official South African touring contingent on Let’s Go Travel’s bespoke, all-inclusive package.
Sheikh Mohammed, in conjunction with Dubai Racing, devised a lucrative entertainment programme during Dubai World Cup week, including visits to his Zabeel stables, a massive desert party complete with fireworks, belly dancers and camels; a 4×4 drive on the dunes; a lavish ceremony to host the big-race draw; a breakfast at Nad Al Sheba where racing fans could meet and chat with trainers, jockeys and celebrities, and VIP treatment on the race days.
Phil locked these initiatives into his package and said: “Let’s Go Travel’s motto has always been twofold. There are no strangers on our trips, just friends who haven’t met, and the success of our travels results from the efforts we put into our planning stages.”
When Mike de Kock ventured to Dubai with Ipi Tombe and Victory Moon for his breakthrough success on the international stage in 2003, the group had already grown to about 50 travellers, and a party of proportions ensued when both runners claimed the honours in front of a capacity crowd at Nad Al Sheba. In those days,
Phil’s group was hosted in the racecourse’s ‘International village’, a large, lawned enclosure about 100m away from the winning post. He recalled: “We already had a base of regulars, including Paul Lafferty, James Goodman, Andrew Bon, Michael Aboud, Andrew Riddell and Marsh Shirtliff, but over the next few years that grew to include Gary and Jackie Joliffe, Mike Fullard, James and Lee-Anne Drew, Pierrick Maujean, Rouvaun Smit, Anthony Govender, Marius and Gill Mostert, Kom Naidoo, Roy and Mumsy Moodley, ‘Eddie The Mover’, Sally Bruss, the extended Sham family of New Turf Carriers, Owen Leibbrandt and others.
“By 2004 we were inundated with queries, and the next 10 years were crazy. De Kock was winning everything in sight, with good backup from Herman Brown (Jr.), who’d built his own, strong yard. Geoff Woodruff, Sean Tarry, Mike Azzie, Dean Maroun and Brian Wiid also had runners during some of the Carnivals and there was a period in which Alec Laird trained for one of the Sheikhs. The festivities in the international village were legendary. One night, even the quiet and always reserved Sabine Plattner and her daughter danced on the tables in celebration!”
Recent SA group on the staircase at Movenpick Hotel (Pic – 4Racing)
The lively characters within the South African groups became as much a part of the carnival’s magic as the horses themselves.
A mosaic of unique personalities and unforgettable moments emerged—stories that highlight the passion and camaraderie of the group and the joy of their collective experiences.
Phil negotiated a deal with the Mövenpick Hotel in Bur Dubai – this five-star venue has been the city-central abode of choice – and later added to his package a Rooftop Braai at the Meydan Hotel, an evening braai at De Kock’s Blue Stables, and a luxury boat trip.
He said: “In the few early years the travellers got around to the cycling club near the hotel to keep their fitness and energy levels up, but they got rattled with too much exercise and turned to partying. After the exciting days out, there are always people left in the Mövenpick’s night club and pubs, and they give it a full go. But despite some all-nighters, there is no sleeping in to recover. There are just so many fun things to do and so little time, and the shopping venues are world-class.”
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