The 2022 R5 million Hollywoodbets Durban July day achieved rave reviews on all fronts!
A sundrenched Hollywoodbets Greyville racecourse hosted South Africa’s premier raceday, with nearly 30 000 racegoers passing through the turnstiles to watch a filly win the race for the first time since 2011.
Sparkling Water, a daughter of five-time Durban July winning stallion Silvano, slammed the males in a dazzling display of power galloping to follow in the golden hoofprints of champion Igugu – also trained by the maestro, Mike de Kock. She was ridden by Smanga Khumalo, who last won the big race in 2013.
Hollywoodbets Durban July winner Sparkling Water and jockey Bling Khumalo in the canter-past (Pic – Candiese Lenferna)
Gold Circle Commercial Executive Patrick Loker reported very pleasing betting turnover stats.
“We are very pleased with the Gold Circle turnover on the Hollywoodbets Durban July. We achieved total turnover on Hollywoodbets Greyville of R 41,9m vs the R45,4 million of 2019 and the R 19,8m of 2021. On the Pick 6, Gold Circle did turnover of R 6,1m versus R 3,3m in 2021. The pool for the P6 reached R 15,8m against a projection of R 12m. On race 7, the Hollywoodbets Durban July turnover was R16,7 million versus the R16,3 million of 2019.”
After a two year absence, the Raceday Fashion Awards attracted huge interest as hundreds entered the various categories hoping for raceday glory at the 2022 Hollywoodbets Durban July on Saturday.
Hollywoodbets Greyville was a hive of activity for the hopefuls as they entered the Classic Raceday for Women, Classic Raceday for Men, Most Striking Couple and the Exceptional Raceday Hat or Fascinator.
The highlight of the raceday fashion programme was Makhosazane Ntshangase who returned to win the Classic Racewear Women category, repeating her win in 2019.
Ntshangase also took home the third prize in the same category.
“It’s incredible for me to come back and win again after 2019,” Ntshangase said with a smile.
“It was a lot of work and I put in a lot of extra work on the fascinator that was on the winning garment which is great.
“I think next year I’ll give someone else a chance!” she added with a laugh.
Martin John Steenkamp claimed another top three when his creation finished in second place.
In the Raceday Hat or Fascinator category it was Rutendo Dyirakumunda who was crowned the winner.
“I am incredibly happy to win this award,” Dyirakumunda said.
“It means so much to me after all the work that I put into creating it and it’s a huge blessing for me.”
Designer Melissa Scandurra finished in second place while Judaine Naidoo finished in third place.
In the Classic Racewear for Men Sipho Mugazi that took home first place with his creation that was modeled by Qurin.
Martin John Steenkamp’s creation finished second while Mnotho Ngema’s self-made outfit saw him finish in third place.
In the prestigious Most Striking Couple category Brenda Waring and Pamela Shabane were crowned the winning designers for their creation that was worn by Shabane herself and Kent Hollenberg.
Second place went to the trio of Siyabonga Makaula, Cayleigh de Beer and Micaela van Heerden.
Makaula and Van Heerden were responsible for the design of the outfits.
Third went to Leona Adams for her creation modeled by Denelle Ince and Josh Jacobs.
Each of the raceday fashion competition winners took home R5 000 from Gold Circle and Schweppes and a R2 500 gift card from the Gateway Theatre of Shopping, while the second places won R3 000 from Gold Circle and Schweppes, with the third placed designers earning R2 000 from Gold Circle and Schweppes.
Following months of hard work, planning and judging, Ismael Mchunu from the Durban University of Technology was crowned the winner of the 2022 Hollywoodbets Durban July Young Designer Award presented by Durban Fashion Fair.
The Top three of the Hollywoodbets Durban July Young Designer Awards presented by Durban Fashion Fair (from left): Model Nonto and third placed designer Nhlanhla Dlamini, winning designer Ismael Mchunu and model Nomfundo, second placed designer Slindi Ndlovu and model Kiara
Mchunu used the 2022 theme of ‘Show Me the Honey’ to focus on the flower that bees pollinate and jumped deeper into the flower with his inspiration coming from the bud.
“For me the theme was all about being sweet so my inspiration was the flower bud and the concept was the beauty inside the bud of the flower when it is open,” Mchunu said.
“That’s the idea that I went on, but man, I am just really, really happy that I managed to win!”
From the beginning of the process Mchunu has been focused on getting to this point and to be the last designer standing and taking home the prizes but the leverage that the award gives is invaluable.
“The process was heavy for me because I spent so much time planning the work but I am very happy that this is how it came out in the end.
“There was a lot of work to do on the garment and to see how it all ended up makes me feel good and I am looking forward to the next steps in my journey,” Mchunu added.
Slindile Ndlovu finished in second place ahead of her fellow Pietermaritzburg School of Fashion student Nhlanhla Dlamini.
Mchunu wins R50 000 in bursary support from the Hollywood Foundation, with the second and third placed students bagging R30 000 and R20 000 from the Hollywood Foundation to support the remainder of their studies.
Mchunu also wins a trip to the SA Fashion Week in October,R10 000 in cash compliments of Gold Circle and Schweppes, and a R5 000 gift card courtesy of Gateway Theatre of Shopping.
Durban University of Technology, as the winning college received a R30 000 grant from Gold Circle to be used to support the programmes and structures in place to develop the design students.
