The 164th World Sports Betting Cape Town Met galloped into folklore on Saturday, 31 January 2026, producing a fairytale finish that shimmered both between the rails and beyond them.
Like a thoroughbred finding top gear in the final furlong, See It Again, under the guiding hands of Andrew Fortune, surged to glory in the Grade 1 showpiece, a victory heavy with redemption and heart.
For Fortune, it was more than a winner’s circle moment, and a home straight run back to relevance.
“I’ve come back from addiction, from where nobody wanted me to now, where I stand on the biggest stage. See It Again and I both have comeback stories, and this win has just been amazing for both of us,” said the jockey, his words ringing as loudly as the roar from the grandstands.
The R5-million Met anchored a glittering race card that also featured the Grade 1 Maine Chance Farms Majorca Stakes, with 11 elite runners loading into the gates for South Africa’s most anticipated turf test. History suggested inside draws were golden – barriers 1 to 5 had dominated in recent years – yet racing loves tearing up the script. From barrier 10, See It Again broke sharply and rewrote the form book, proving that champions make their own luck.
Trainer Justin Snaith, celebrating a fourth consecutive Met triumph on four different horses for himself and owner Nick Jonsson, summed it up best:
“If anyone out there is at their lowest point thinking nothing is possible, Andrew proves you can come back from anything. He’s been there every week, works flat out, and solely deserves this. It’s a case of right horse, right time, right person.”
The build-up was as theatrical as the finish. The live draw, revealed via a music-note mechanism in keeping with the 2026 theme Symphony of Style, set the tone for a day where racing rhythm met cultural harmony.
A Symphony of Style Off the Track
If the racing was a drumroll, the off-track experience was a full orchestra. Fashion, food and entertainment cantered in step as celebrities and racegoers soaked up the spectacle at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth. The Best Dressed competition sparkled, while the Amaballet’s Amavengers delivered a high-octane fusion of ballet, amapiano and street dance.
Fashion honours followed suit: Nina van Dina claimed Best Interpretation of Symphony of Style, Beaia Kgokong was crowned Style Icon, Sheara Murphy won Designers’ Choice, and Kevin Ellis and Tracey Maltman – previous winners in 2007 – returned to capture Best Dressed Crew. The prizes were as generous as a winning dividend.
Behind the scenes, the event ran like a well-trained stayer.
“The six months of planning and two weeks of build-up paid off – we’ve had an amazing vibe today,” said Stephen Marshall of Race Coast, praising the seamless blend of fashion, hospitality and entertainment.
As dusk fell, the official after-party thundered into life with ARK, Mi Casa, DJ Kent and DBN Gogo, turning the Met into a midnight crescendo.
World Sports Betting COO Ryno du Plessis captured the mood:
“It’s been a great day with everybody having a fantastic time… Andrew Fortune truly deserved his See It Again triumph in the main event.”
From its origins as the Metropolitan Mile in 1883 to today’s 2000m Grade 1 crown jewel, the Cape Town Met remains racing’s grand overture. It was a day where winners are crowned in silks, style and sound.
