Cape Town, South Africa – For those who say horseracing is stuck in the past, Cape Racing just offered a season-long rebuttal. Stretching from November 2024 to March 2025, the Cape Racing Summer Festival wasn’t just about what happened between the rails—it was a full-blown cultural resurgence.
With over 60,000 attendees streaming through the gates of Hollywoodbets Kenilworth Racecourse across 26 race days, Cape Town’s flagship racing venue became the place to be this summer—for racing, fashion, food, music, and more.
Racing Meets Renaissance
What unfolded at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth over those five months was more than a racing revival; it was a lifestyle renaissance. Eight signature race days headlined the season, each packed with drama on the track and spectacle off it. The Hollywoodbets Cape Guineas featuring the Kaapse Klopse Voorsmakie kicked things off with a massive 20,000-strong crowd in December, blending athleticism with Cape Town’s vibrant cultural flair.
Then came the elegance of the L’Ormarins King’s Plate, where the pageantry of blue-and-white fashion met elite equine competition. Not to be outdone, the World Sports Betting Cape Town MET stormed back to reclaim its title as South Africa’s most glamorous day at the races. Add in a socially conscious Royal Raceday—which raised R200,000 for The Earth Centre and Sisters Incorporated—and the season found its heart.
“This wasn’t just about horseracing,” said Cape Racing COO Donovan Everitt. “It was about creating unforgettable moments. Cape Racing is back—not just as a sport, but as a movement.”
From Track to Art Gallery
True to its 2025 ambitions, Cape Racing also reimagined what a racecourse can be. The Future in Motion exhibition, a collaboration with Art School Africa, transformed grandstands into galleries. Featuring 27 rising artists from South Africa, Rwanda, Zimbabwe, and Mozambique, the showcase brought contemporary African art into the beating heart of the sport. The result? A racecourse that doubled as a cultural landmark.
This shift wasn’t accidental. It was strategic. Cape Racing made bold moves to court a younger, more diverse crowd—and it worked.
The Trackside Market: Racing’s Social Sweet Spot
Weekends at Kenilworth became synonymous with the Trackside Market, a bold reimagining of the racecourse experience. Think artisanal food, vintage fashion, craft drinks, and kids giggling over popcorn and slushies (4,500 of each served!). With 785 vendor stalls and 35 bars activated, it was more than a market—it was a micro-festival that gave Cape Town’s already saturated market scene some serious competition.
Families arrived. Friend groups lingered. And suddenly, a day at the races was also a day of discovery.
Star Colts & Statement Performances
Of course, the heart of it all remained the racing—and fans were treated to a clinic by a new generation of thoroughbred talent. One Stripe, trained by Vaughan Marshall, became a sensation, notching wins at both the Cape Guineas and the King’s Plate before setting his sights abroad.
Meanwhile, Eight On Eighteen, trained by Justin Snaith, conquered the Cape Town MET and SplashOut Derby, establishing himself as another star of the turf. Not to be overshadowed, Gimme A Prince, South Africa’s highest-rated horse (134), delivered blistering victories in the Cape Flying Championship and Diadem Stakes.
Across 26 meetings, Cape Racing reminded everyone why the sport endures: speed, power, and the unpredictable beauty of the finish line.
Uplifting the Backbone of Racing
It wasn’t just the horses that were rewarded. This season came with record stakes—R61.2 million in total, with R59.5 million paid out in net prizes—but also deeper investment in the people behind the scenes. Grooms benefitted from increased bonuses, including:
- R520,000 in Cape Racing/Hollywoodbets Winning Groom payouts
- R280,000 from Khaya Stables’ Star Grooms initiative
- R234,000 via Main Chance Farms’ Best Turned Out awards
- R142,000 in bonuses tied to Big Cap day
- A mammoth R20 million in overall contributions from World Sports Betting
By recognising and rewarding these essential workers, Cape Racing showed it’s serious about equity—and about the long-term sustainability of the industry.
Racing Toward the Future
As the sun sets on a landmark season, all eyes now turn to 2025/26. With bold plans to expand, innovate, and entertain, Cape Racing is poised to make even bigger waves. More than just the revival of a beloved sport, this season was a signal: horseracing in Cape Town isn’t just back—it’s redefining what the sport can be.
What was once a niche is now a nexus. Where horses once ran alone, now art, music, fashion, and family moments gallop alongside.
Cape Racing didn’t just host a season. It hosted a movement.
