The launch of the Hollywoodbets Spring Country Series at Hollywoodbets Durbanville on Wednesday 7 September will host a nine race card with an average of 11,44 runners per race.
The announcement of the RaceCape incentive and the upbeat momentum generated by waves of positive news and structured plans, seems to be working early magic!
While provincial comparisons can be viewed with a pinch of salt on an average day, it is interesting that the Cape field sizes measure very favourably against the 8,62 runners per race at Turffontein for the eight event meeting a day later on 8 September.
Top-class Warrior makes his seasoinal debut at Durbanville (Pic- Chase Liebenberg)
Hollywoodbets Durbanville (7 Sept) had 103 acceptances versus the 75 of Turffontein (8 Sept).
“The first meeting back at Hollywoodbets Durbanville normally sees us battling to fill fields. Johan Janse van Vuuren had a number of noms but he scratched. They are probably not ready yet. This is really encouraging,” a Cape trainer told the Sporting Post.
Greg Bortz – thrilled with the early response
Cape Racing Chairman elect Greg Bortz drew the Sporting Post’s attention to the average field sizes of 8,5 at Kenilworth (unquestionably the premier Cape racecourse for most trainers) during June/ July versus Wednesday’s averages at a racecourse that has encountered resistance in years past, for a variety of reasons, including barrier draw sensitivity.
“It’s the first time in ages we have had eliminations, too!” added an enthusiastic Bortz.
A National Racing Bureau official explained to the Sporting Post that Hollywoodbets Durbanville allows a maximum capacity of 14 horses per race. She said that 27 acceptances had been received for the second event and this was then split.
The top-rated event of the day is an MR 106 Handicap.
RaceCape is a programme designed to boost and incentivise increased racehorse ownership in the Western Cape.
An incentive of R2 500 per runner is paid and the spin-offs include enhanced field sizes and boosted betting turnovers, as well as further opportunities for the Cape’s community of racehorse trainers, increased employment prospects for grooms and work riders, as well as all related and ancillary horse racing services.
A substantial turnout is anticipated on Wednesday 7 September for the launch day.
This series runs from then to 19 October, and incorporates eight race meetings, highlighted by the running of the traditional Cape summer season launch-pads of the Hollywoodbets Gr3 Matchem Stakes and Gr3 Diana Stakes on Saturday, 1 October.
Hollywoodbets and Cape Racing have also introduced a Grooms incentive initiative to Western Cape racing to recognise the critical role played by grooms. They will now receive a R1 000 cash bonus for every win, paid jointly by both parties.
Hollywoodbets will also sponsor a Work Riders’ series, with the goal of promoting and developing future stars.
The popular free-to-enter Hollywoodbets Punters’ Challenge will also be launched on the day, with the the bonus jackpot, payable to the player/s who selects all winners on the day, will commence at R200 000 at the launch racemeeting at Hollywoodbets Durbanville on 7 September, and increases by R5 000 every meeting where the jackpot is not won, to a maximum of R500 000.
Daily prize money of R5 000 for each of the scheduled racemeetings will be shared by the top 20 players on the day’s leaderboard, with the winner banking R2 000, the runner-up R1 000, the third-placer R500, with R250 to fourth, R125 awarded to 5th to 10th finisher, and the balance, inclusive of 20th finisher, receiving R50 each.
Western Cape horseracing will also welcome the introduction of barrier draws aligned with distinctive saddle cloths with effect from the Hollywoodbets Durbanville race meeting on 7 September.
In a change from the top-weight-down, or alphabetical order, horses racing in the Cape will now also be carded according to barrier positions, regardless of the allocated weights. In tandem with the implementation of the draw numbering, uniquely assigned saddle cloth colours will be allocated to specific numbers.
The concept, which is used in some international jurisdictions, was introduced in 2019 in KwaZulu-Natal and serves the purpose of making it simple for both new and established racing fans to follow their selections from the saddle cloth number and standardised saddle cloth colour, through to the starting stalls where the number and colour are clearly displayed. This will make it easier to spot your horse from parade ring, to start line to finishing post.
Reserve runners will no longer be allocated a barrier draw, but should there be a scratching, the reserve will automatically take up the barrier gate of the scratched horse that it replaces.
