Horseracing in South Africa
South Africa is home to eight different racetracks – Kenilworth and Durbanville in the Western Cape, Turffontein and the Vaal in Gauteng, Greyville and Scottsville – which are based in KwaZulu-Natal, the Northern Cape racetrack of Flamingo Park, and Fairview in the Eastern Cape.
Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal and the Western Cape are the main racing centers and all South Africa’s Grade One races are held in these three centers, focused on turf tracks. Greyville, which hosts a number of meetings at night, and Fairview, also sport polytrack courses, with the polytrack having first been introduced to Durban in 2014. Flamingo Park and Fairview tracks also offer sand racing.
The Breeders Grade 1 trophy, made especially for the TBA by South African Sculptor Bruce Little, and awarded to the breeder of each South African-bred Grade 1 winner.


Gr.1 Race Schedule 2021
Date | Racecourse | Race | Distance | ||
JAN | 9 | Kenilworth | L'Ormarins Queen's Plate | G1 | 1600m |
Paddock Stakes | G1 | 1800m | |||
JAN | 30 | Kenilworth | Capetown Met | G1 | 2000m |
Majorca Stakes | G1 | 1600m | |||
Cape Flying Championship | G1 | 1000m | |||
FEB | 27 | Kenilworth | Cape Derby | G1 | 2000m |
MARCH | 6 | Turffontein | S A Classic | G1 | 1800m |
Wilgerbosdrift SA Fillies Classic | G1 | 1800m | |||
APRIL | 3 | Turffontein | SA Derby | G1 | 2450m |
H F Oppenheimer Horse Chestnut Stakes | G1 | 1600m | |||
18 | Turffontein | HSH Princess Charlene Empress Club Stakes | G1 | 1600m | |
MAY | 1 | Turffontein | Premier's Champions Challenge | G1 | 2000m |
Computaform Sprint | G1 | 1000m | |||
MAY | 29 | Greyville | Daily News 2000 | G1 | 2000m |
Woolavington 2000 | G1 | 2000m | |||
JUNE | 5 | Scottsville | Golden Horse Sprint | G1 | 1200m |
SA Fillies Sprint | G1 | 1200m | |||
Golden Horse Medallion | G1 | 1200m | |||
Allan Robertson Championship | G1 | 1200m | |||
JUNE | 12 | Greyville | Rising Sun Gold Challenge | G1 | 1600m |
JULY | 3 | Greyville | Vodacom Durban July | G1 | 2200m |
Garden Province Stakes | G1 | 1600m | |||
JULY | 31 | Greyville | Champions Cup | G1 | 1800m |
Mercury Sprint | G1 | 1200m | |||
Premiers Champion Stakes | G1 | 1600m | |||
Thekwini Stakes | G1 | 1600m | |||
November | 27 | Turffontein | Summer Cup | G1 | 2000m |
December | 11 | Kenilworth | Cape Fillies Guineas | G1 | 1600m |
18 | Kenilworth | Cape Guineas | G1 | 1600m |