TIME TO WRITE A CLASSIC!

It’s Classic Day at Turffontein on Saturday and all eyes will be on a veteran seven-time South African champion jockey who is rolling back the years and a young apprentice making her own mark on the sport of horseracing, on what is set to be an exciting second round of ‘The Championships’ season.

Classic Day marks the second leg of the World Sports Betting Triple Crown and Wilgerbosdrift Triple Tiara series for three-year-olds, and there will be a whopping R1 500 000 stake on offer for the Grade 1 World Sports Betting SA Classic and R1 250 000 stake for the Grade 1 Wilgerbosdrift SA Fillies Classic, both to be run over 1800 metres at Turffontein this weekend.

Champion apprentice Rachel Venniker was sensational in brilliantly winning the Grade 2 World Sports Betting Gauteng Guineas on Eye of the Prophet in the first leg of the World Sports Betting Triple Crown, holding off S’manga Khumalo in a thriller, and she will now be looking for her first Grade 1 win as she again gets the ride from trainer Paul Matchett this weekend.

The Triple Series is regarded as racing’s ‘ultimate test’ and should Venniker again lead Eye of the Prophet home, the connections will stay in the hunt for the R2 million bonus for the winners of all three legs of the WSB Triple Crown.

Other exciting runners announced on Tuesday to compete in the WSB SA Classic include Shoemaker, East Coast, Billy Bowlegs, Royal Victory and Anfield’s Rocket.

Legendary 56-year-year old jockey Piere ‘Striker’ Strydom was equally imperious in winning the SA Fillies Guineas with Lady of Power in the first leg of the Wilgerbosdrift Triple Tiara and he will be seeing if he can repeat his heroics on the flying filly this weekend in the second leg.

Strydom comes into Classic Day in fine form, having won the Grade 1 Splashout Cape

Derby at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth this weekend on See It Again, so he will be buzzing as he looks to win the second leg of the Wilgerbosdrift Triple Tiara with Lady of Power to stay in contention for the R1 million bonus for the winners of all three legs of the Triple Tiara. Other strong fillies who were announced in the SA Fillies Classic final fields to take on Lady of Power include Emirate Gina, Feather Boa, Bonete and None Other.

Entrance is absolutely free for punters and those looking to enjoy a day at the races at Turffontein on Classic Day, which has much to offer all those involved in horse racing, with good stakes for owners and trainers and plenty of incentives for the talented jockeys and hardworking grooms who will be responsible for the racing spectacle.

Hospitality packages are also available and if you can’t make it to the course you can follow the action live on Racing 240 on DStv Channel 240 or you can take a bet in-store or online with TAB at www. tab4racing.com

“We expect Classic Day to live up to its name and to be one for the books! The World Sports Betting Triple Crown and Wilgerbosdrift Triple Tiara Series adds a unique and exciting dimension to the season and we are looking forward to some exhilarating racing as we see if Eye of the Prophet and Lady of Power can try and stay in the hunt for the Triple Series bonuses. I encourage racegoers, punters, and fun-lovers to head to Turffontein Racecourse this weekend to experience this fantastic Classic Day live,” said Fundi Sithebe, Chief Executive Officer of 4Racing.