South Africa
www.horseracingauthority.co.za
History
Horse racing in South Africa started in 1797 and the first recorded raceclub meeting took place in 1802. The Jockey Club of Southern Africa, the organisation which regulates the sport of thoroughbred horseracing, was founded in 1882. The Jockey Club is probably unique in that it regulates the sport in two independent countries namely South Africa and Zimbabwe. Its head office is in Johannesburg and it has regional offices in Cape Town, Durban, Harare (Zimbabwe) and Port Elizabeth.
Up until roughly a decade ago racing in Southern Africa was conducted by sixteen non-proprietary race clubs - each of which had its own course. Economic pressures largely caused initially by other forms of illegal and subsequently legal gambling let to a systematic merging of these clubs. Today there are two organisations that operate all thoroughbred racing in South Africa and one club in Zimbabwe.
Over a period of many years Southern African racing has developed a substantial infrastructure which has tended to be regionally organised / based. There were thus three different totalisator systems based in Johannesburg, Durban and Cape Town which provided countrywide betting opportunities both on-and off-course.
Name of Racing Authority: The Jockey Club of Southern Africa
Postal Address: P O Box 74439, Turffontein, 2140 South Africa
Tel: + 27 11 683 9283
Fax: + 27 11 434 1636
Web Site:www.horseracingauthority.co.za
National Board of Directors
Chairman: Mr Johnathan Witts-Hewinson
Chief Executive: Mr R D de Kock
Senior Racing Control Executive: Mr D Pillay
Manager: Mr C B (Colin) Hall (Racing Administration)
Director: Dr S S (Schalk) de Kock (Laboratory)
Financial Manager: Mr R G (Raymond) Harper
Contact for Overseas Information: Mr A S (Tony) Barnes
Phumelela Gaming & Leisure Ltd , Mr B D (Brian) Mehl, Chief Executive Officer, P O Box 82625, Southdale, 2135 South Africa, Tel: +27 11 681 1652, Fax: +27 11 681 1895, E-mail: brianm@phumelela.com;
Gold Circle Racing & Gaming Group, Mr M J L (Michel) Nairac, Chief Operating Officer, P O Box 40, Durban, 4000 South Africa, Tel: +27 31 309 2626, Fax: +27 31 309 6442, E-mail: micheln@goldcircle.co.za;
Mashonaland Turf Club; Mr C G (Clever) Mushangwe, Chief Executive, PO Box 376, Harare, Zimbabwe, Tel: +263 4 88 3590, Fax: +263 4 88 3795
Statistical:
| Racing Season | From 1 August To 31 July |
|---|---|
| Number of Racecourses | 14 |
| Number of Fixtures | Flat 475 |
| Number of Races | 3,979 |
| Number of Runners | Flat 48,634 |
| Number of Different Runners | Flat 7,447 |
| Number of Horses in Training | 7,218 |
| Number of Trainers | 180 |
| Number of Jockeys | 138 |
| Number of Owners | 5,008 (where a partnership or a syndicate or a company = 1 owner) |
Principal Races: (significant changes are expected to be announced shortly)
| Name | Classification | Date | Prizemoney(ZAR) | Racecourse |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.Vodacom Durban (Hcap) | GR 1 | 6/7 | 1,500,000 | Greyville Durban |
| 2.J&B Metropolitan (COND) | GR 1 | 2/2 | 1,000,000 | Kenilworth Cape Town |
| 3.Summer Cup | GR 1 | 24/11 | 2,000,000 | Turffontein Johannesburg |
| 4.S.A Derby | GR 1 | 26/4 | 1,000,000 | Turffontein Johannesburg |
| 5.S.A Classic (Level Weights) | GR 1 | 29/3 | 750,000 | Turffontein Johannesburg |
| 6.S.A Nursery (Level Weights) | GR. 1 | 26/4 | 750,000 | Turffontein Johannesburg |
| 7.S.A Fillies Nursery | GR. 1 | 26/4 | 750,000 | Turffontein Johannesburg |
| 8.The Queen's Plate (WFA) | GR.1 | 29/12 | 500,000 | Turffontein Johannesburg |
| 9.Horse Chestnut Stakes | GR. 1 | 5/4 | 500,000 | Kenilworth Cape Town |
| 10.Champion Stakes | GR. 1 | 26/4 | 500,000 | Turffontein Johannesburg |
Racing Festivals
Gold Circle Festival of Night
Racing week starting 28/6
Greyville Durban
Financials
Total Prizemoney (Local Currency - South African Rand)
R164,528,170 - Provided by Racing Organisations
Average Prizemoney Per Race (Total) R41,349
Exchange Rate to US$: US$1 = 8,00ZAR
| Betting | Totalizator | Yes | Off Course | Yes |
| Bookmakers | Yes | Off Course | Yes |
Total Betting Turnover / Year 3,452,675,948 (Totalizator) / 2,293,133,534 (Bookmakers)
On Course 247,519,020 (T) / 254,979,737 (B)
Off Course 3,205,156,928 (T) / 2,038,153,797 (B)
Principal Bet Types Jackpot, Place Accumulator, Win/Place, Swinger, Trifecta, Pick Six
Betting Deductions Varies between countries and between provinces (states)
Breeding
Total number of stud farms around 200
Total number of stallions 200
Total number of mares 5,254
Total number of thoroughbred births / year 3,500
Report on Racing Activities
In recent years all of the race clubs in South Africa have merged into two Racing Operators namely Gold Circle Racing and Gaming Group and Phumelela Gaming and Leisure Limited. Gold Circle is a private company formed by the emerging of race clubs in the Provinces of KwaZulu-Natal and the Western Cape. It thus has two courses in the Durban area, one in the Pietermaritzburg area and two in greater Cape Town. It has two training establishments in the Western Cape and a further two in KwaZulu-Natal. Phumelela is a public company listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange. It was formed out of a merging of the assets and operations of the three former race clubs in the Johannesburg and their common structures (such as totalisator system, training facilities, transport services etc). Phumelela was soon joined by the race clubs in the Province of the Free State, and the single clubs each of in the Provinces of Northern Cape and Eastern Cape. Phumelela has closed and sold one of its three courses in the Johannesburg area while putting a second track on one of the other courses in the area. It has a further two courses in the Free State area (in Bloemfontein and near Vereeniging) one in Kimberley and two in Port Elizabeth. It has four training centres on its courses and one large training centre in Johannesburg.
While both Gold Circle and Phumelela retain their respective totalisator systems they have now been linked to provide one national totalisator system with countrywide coverage.
Gold Circle and Phumelela have jointly formed Tellytrack - which provides countrywide and international TV coverage of all Southern African racing through the major South African digital satellite television network.
In Zimbabwe the Matabeleland Turf Club has ceased operating and racing is now only conducted by the Mashonaland Turf Club in Harare. It also operates a totalisator system.
The Jockey Club has changed from being an elite club into what is arguably the most representative organisation in South African racing. Nearly all people who are licensed by The Jockey Club (owners, breeders, trainers, riders and officials) automatically receive membership and the right to vote. The Jockey Club is controlled by a National Board of Directors. Nine Directors are elected (directly and indirectly) by the members. Two Directors are nominated by the Racing Operators while the organisations which represent owners in each of the regions where the Operators conduct nominate a further two Directors (one each). The Thoroughbred Breeders Association has the right to nominate a Director and up to two further Directors can be co-opted.
The Jockey Club now focuses entirely on the regulation of racing and breeding. All functions in racing which were formerly undertaken by the race clubs and which have a regulatory connotation (such as starters, handlers, judges, clerks of scales and handicappers) have been transferred to it. From its side The Jockey Club has transferred control of the Jockeys Academy to a new organisation set up for the purpose.