Racing, Its a Rush BTS

Trying to find something different to do in and around Johannesburg is always a challenge of mine. If I’m not having lunch or dinner at a cosy restaurant, checking out a live event, or the farmers market I’m at usually at home. For a vibrant, buzzing city I know my options are endless but just finding different things to do that interest me can be a hassle. So when I was approached by Racing, It’s a Rush to educate me (and subsequently people who follow me on social media and on this blog) on horse racing and to introduce me to racing as an entertainment option and something new to do it was a no brainer for me. Hell yes! A few bloggers and social media influencers were given a behind the scenes look at horse racing and a glimpse into what exactly goes on in the months prior to a horse racing event like the L’Ormarin’s Queen’s Plate and J&B Met.

Day 1 started very early in the morning as we made our way to Azzie Racing Stables at the Randjesfontein Race Track where we were given an interesting run down on how horses are trained for racing. The training is intense and we covered everything from ground control to nutrition, breaking in the starting gates as well as maintaining a race career strategy. Horses are schooled from around 2 years of age and it’s amazing to see how horses can go from no training at all to winning races.

Day 2 was a Race Day Tour at Turrfontein Racecourse. We got to experience a race day first hand from our box suite and even got a crash course in betting. If you thought that betting on horses was purely based on luck, think again. On arrival at the Turrfontein Race Course we were given a racing guide for the day which details each race, the horses participating in each race, the horse’s pedigree, lineage and racing history. Studying this before placing a bet will do you well but you can also tell a lot about the horses current state by watching them just before the race in the parade ring to tell if they’re ready to win. Horse racing is also very heavily regulated. We got to spend a little time in the control room where every race is scrutinised to ensure the rules were followed and there is no cruelty towards the animals. I was pleasantly surprised to see how strict the officials and vets are. They replay and rewind one race over and over to ensure the jockey is abiding by the rules and there is no fowl play.

Day 3 had us visit TBA Sales Complex in Gosforth Park where we got a lesson in buying and selling of horses by Justin Vermaak. When horses reach 2 years and are ready for auction they have never set foot (hoof?) on a race track, let alone had saddle placed on them. So purchasing a horse on auction is done mainly on the horses lineage. People drop serious money on a horse they have no guarantee on, but I guess that’s the beauty of the sport. You are taking a risk and hoping that after adequate training it will pay off.

I thoroughly enjoyed my three-day behind the scenes glimpse into horse racing and can’t wait to visit some of the bigger events in and around Johannesburg to share with you. For all the details follow Racing, It’s a Rush on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Thank you to Racing, It’s a Rush & Establishd for a great few days!

Photographed by @Amanda Custo

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