If you know anything about South Africa and the sports betting industry, you know that people love horse racing. The latter is among the go-to sports for local punters and sports fans alike. That’s why it’s no surprise people can find many different horse racing events.
Efirbet’s team decided to dive deep into the horse racing schedule for South Africa in 2025. Following the analysis, we found five races that deserve more attention. Two of them are already over, but we are yet to see the remaining 3, so let’s dive in.
Durban July Handicap
Taking place on July 5, the Hollywoodbets Durban July Handicap is an event held yearly in July (the first Saturday). The competition has been around since 1897, making ot one of the oldest in the world.
People wishing to visit the Durban July Handicap should head to the Greyville Racecourse in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal. Unlike other races, this one welcomes horses from all age groups. Considering this is one of South Africa’s leading horse racing tournaments, it’s no surprise there’s an R5M reward.
Originally, the running distance was around 1 mile, but the rules changed in 1970. Following the adjustments, the distance was increased to around 2200 meters.
What’s interesting is that only 5 horses ever were able to win the race back to back. As for jockeys, Anton Marcus holds the record with 5 wins, the last one being in 2018.
The Cape Derby
The second South African horse racing event that people should watch closely is the Cape Derby. Horse racing fans interested in it should tune in on February 22 and visit Kenilworth Racecourse in Cape Town.
Like most other horse racing competitions in South Africa, the Cape Derby is very old because the first race took place in 1925. The event is held annually, but there are two exceptions when it does not occur. One of them was in 1987 during the Equine flu outbreak, and the second one was in 2004.
There have been many memorable Cape Derby races over the years, but perhaps the most intriguing one was in 1947. This was when King George and the Royal entourage decided to attend the event. Once it was over, the king gave the “King’s Cup” to Stanley Amons and Menlo.
The Gauteng Summer Cup
The next horse racing event in South Africa that attracts fans from all over the world is the Gauteng Summer Cup. Taking place in the Turffontein Racecourse in Johannesburg, the competition is a gathering hub for top-tier participants. Aside from seeing some of the best horses and jockeys, this event is also famous for offering loads of entertainment for everyone attending it.
If you want to follow the Gauteng Summer Cup in 2025, you must wait until November or early December. Interestingly, the 2024 race was called the Betway Summer Cup, indicating that Betway sponsored it. The latter is among the biggest and most well-known sports betting operators in South Africa. Due to the sponsorship deals, the 2024 Betway Summer Cup became the richest race in Africa.
The Two Horse Races That Are Over
Aside from the 3 horse racing events in South Africa that fans are looking forward to, at the time of writing this article, people also got the chance to watch two big competitions. The first one is The Sun Met (also known as J&B Met) and it was held in January 2025.
The Sun Met is among South Africa’s oldest horse races because the first one took place in 1883. Considering its history, it is no surprise that it is also one of Africa’s most prestigious horse racing competitions.
People who watched The Cape Derby had to go to the Kenilworth Racecourse in Cape Town. Like every other year, the competition takes place on the last Saturday in January, and it draws thousands of people from around the country. 2025 was the event’s 163rd year, and horse racing fans, punters, and everyone else attending it saw some of the best thoroughbreds in the world.
Speaking of horse racing events in South Africa that are already over, we also need to address King’s Plate. This is another annual Grade I horse racing competition that takes place in Cape Town. According to many sources, the race has been active since 1861 and is one of SA’s leading events.
An interesting fact about the King’s Plate is that it was called the Queen’s Plate during the times of Queen Victoria and Elizabeth II. There are a lot of intriguing facts related to this race, such as the good wishes message that the British high commissioner to South Africa reads every year.
Nowadays, the competition is called ‘The L’Ormarins King’s Plate,” and the 2026 version will take place in January next year.
Closing Thoughts
Horse racing fans in South Africa have access to numerous world-class events in the country. Aside from them, however, they can also watch many other big competitions, such as those in the UK. Things like the Cheltenham Festival, Grand National, and Royal Ascot are just a few months away. Needless to say, these competitions bring together casual fans and punters who love this sport.
