Leading English Premier League side Brentford FC will bring an excitingly innovative and intriguing international dimension to Hollywoodbets Durban July day on 2 July, when ‘The Bees’ will proudly sponsor the prestigious undercard of the R1 million Gr1 Garden Province Stakes.
In what is an historic and watershed moment for South African horseracing, Brentford FC becomes the first international professional sports team to sponsor a major event on the South African horseracing calendar.
For the social set, and in a delightful nuance for the fashionistas looking to put in a star performance in the Hollywoodbets Durban July Fashion Theme, ‘Show Me The Honey’, the presence of ‘The Bees’ on the great racing day adds the proverbial sting in the ‘tale’, and offers a treasure trove of creative delights for those seeking some sartorial inspiration.
The Brentford FC Garden Province Stakes is the supporting Grade 1 feature to the R5 million Hollywoodbets Durban July to be run at Hollywoodbets Greyville on Africa’s premier day of horseracing.
Alongside the Gr1 Schweppes Majorca Stakes and the Gr1 HSH Princess Charlene Empress Club Stakes, the Garden Province Stakes is a potential Equus championship clincher and the season’s final leg of the unofficial fairer sex weight-for-age mile ‘Triple Crown’.
A strategic contest on the 2021/22 season programme, the illustrious Garden Province honour roll boasts a bevy of fairer sex stars of the ilk of champions Beach Beauty, Inara, Celtic Sea, and many more.
Princess Calla and Captain’s Ransom – could clash in the Brenford FC Garden Province Stakes (Pic – Chase Liebenberg)
And the 2022 renewal is again set to host an outstanding line-up that could see a sensational North vs South showdown between the 2022 SA Triple Tiara winner Rain In Holland, recent HSH Princess Charlene Empress Club Stakes winner Princess Calla, and Cape superstar, Captain’s Ransom, a dramatic last stride winner of the 2022 Schweppes Gr1 Majorca Stakes.
Gold Circle Marketing Executive, Steve Marshall labelled South Africa’s newest Grade 1 sponsor ‘a win for South African horseracing and a scoop for the country’s flagship day’.
Dynasty champion Beach Beauty wins the Garden Province Stakes in 2013
“We have great pleasure in welcoming Brentford FC to Durban. The Garden Province Stakes is one of the premier attractions on the SA Champions Season programme and history shows that it always hosts the best fillies and mares from across South Africa. Having an internationally recognised football side like Brentford FC – who boast a global following – on board is a feather in the cap for all stakeholders, and represents an appeal for Africa’s greatest horseracing event to a wider market of sports fans.”
Sponsored by South Africa’s leading international sportsbook operator Hollywoodbets, the West London-based Brentford Football Club competes in the English Premier League, after gaining promotion via the playoffs at the end of the 2020–21 Championship season.
Jon Varney, CEO of Brentford, said that the unique sponsorship opportunity was an honour and privilege.
“Our proud association with Hollywoodbets has grown in leaps and bounds over the past two years and, as a club and corporate entity, we share many of the same values. We look forward to sponsoring the Garden Province Stakes and being represented at the home of the Durban July, Hollywoodbets Greyville, on the big day to share in the great African celebration of the sport of horseracing,” he added.
Popularly tagged ‘The Bees’, Brentford FC was founded in 1889 and played home matches at Griffin Park from 1904, before moving to the Brentford Community Stadium in 2020. Their chief rivals are fellow West London clubs, Fulham and Queens Park Rangers.
Entries for the Brentford FC Gr1 Garden Province Stakes close at 11h00 on Tuesday 14 June.
Declarations are due by 10h00 on Wednesday 22 June.
The Hollywoodbets Durban July will be run at Hollywoodbets Greyville on Saturday 2 July.
Limited tickets are available. Find out more by visiting www.hollywoodbetsdurbanjuly.co.za
