The July must be up there with the best?

Im(vague)o i think there are five races that stop/grab the attention of a Nation,although the JULY can`t compete with the other Major countries on Prizemoney and probably quality.I can only think of Four other races that have racing fans and experts as excited about them as we are of the July and they are the Melbourne Cup the Kentucky Derby the Arc and Probably the Epsom Derby(although its the National thats the peoples race)

ps racing fans love the festivals,World Cup,Breeders Cup,Ascot but im not sure the public hold them the same way as they do the above races?

Below is a list of the worlds major races,



Argentina

Gran Premio Carlos Pellegrini
Gran Premio Estrellas
Gran Premio Jockey Club
Gran Premio Nacional (Argentine Derby)
Gran Premio Polla de Potrancas (Argentine 1000 Guineas)
Gran Premio Polla de Potrillos (Argentine 2000 Guineas)
Gran Premio Seleccion (Argentine Oaks)

Australia

Australian Cup
AJC Derby
AJC Oaks
Caulfield Cup
Cox Plate
Doncaster Handicap
Golden Slipper Stakes
The BMW Stakes
Melbourne Cup
Newmarket Handicap
Stradbroke Handicap
VRC Derby
VRC Oaks



Austria

Austrian Derby
Austrian St.Leger
Trial Stakes

Barbados

Barbados Derby
Barbados Gold Cup
Midsummer Creole Classic

Brazil

Grande Premio Bento Gonçalves
Grande Premio Brasil
Grande Premio Cruzeiro do Sul (Brazilian Derby)
Grande Premio Diana (Brazilian Oaks)
Grande Premio Major Suckow
Grande Prêmio Paraná
Grande Premio Presidente da Republica
Grande Premio Roberto e Nelson Seabra
Grande Premio Sao Paulo

Canada

Breeders' Stakes
Canadian International Stakes
Prince of Wales Stakes
Queen's Plate

Chile

Club Hipico de Santiago
Dos Mil Guineas (Chilean 2000 Guineas)
El Derby (Chilean Derby)
Clásico El Ensayo
Gran Premio Hipodromo Chile
Clásico St. Leger (Chilean St.Leger)

Czech Republic

Ceske Derby
Ceske St.Leger
Ceske Velka Jarni Cena (Ceske 2000 Guineas)

Denmark

Dansk 1000 Guineas
Dansk 2000 Guineas
Dansk Derby
Dansk Oaks
Dansk St.Leger
Scandinavian Open Championship

France

Grand Prix de Paris
Poule d'Essai des Poulains (French 2000 Guineas)
Poule d'Essai des Pouliches (French 1000 Guineas)
Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe
Prix de Diane (French Oaks)
Prix du Jockey Club (French Derby)

Germany

Bayerisches Zuchtrennen
Deutsches Derby
Deutschland-Preis
Grosser Preis von Baden
Mehl-Mülhens-Rennen (German 2000 Guineas)
Preis der Diana (German Oaks)
Preis von Europa
Rheinland-Pokal



Hong Kong

Champions Mile
Hong Kong Champions & Chater Cup
Hong Kong Cup
Hong Kong Classic Mile
Hong Kong Derby
Hong Kong Gold Cup
Hong Kong Mile
Hong Kong Sprint
Hong Kong Vase
Queen Elizabeth II Cup

Hungary

Magyar Derby
Magyar St. Leger
Nemzeti dij (Hungarian 2000 Guineas)
Kincsem dij

Ireland

Irish Champion Stakes
Irish 1,000 Guineas
Irish 2,000 Guineas
Irish Derby
Irish Oaks


Italy

Derby Italiano
Gran Premio del Jockey Club
Gran Premio Merano
Gran Premio di Milano
Oaks d'Italia (Italian Oaks)
Premio Parioli (Italian 2000 Guineas)
Premio Presidente della Repubblica
Premio Regina Elena (Italian 1000 Guineas)




Japan

Arima Kinen (Japanese Grand Prix)
Derby Grand Prix
Japan Cup Dirt
Japan Cup
Japan Dirt Derby
JBC Classic
JBC Sprint
Kashiwa Kinen
Kawasaki Kinen
Kikuka Sho (Japanese St.Leger)
Mile Championship
Mile Championship Nambu Hai
Oka Sho (Japanese 1000 Guineas)
Queen Elizabeth II Commemorative Cup
Satsuki Sho (Japanese 2000 Guineas)
Sprinters Stakes
Takamatsunomiya Kinen
Takarazuka Kinen
Teio Sho
Tenno Sho
Tokyo Daishoten
Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby)
Victoria Mile
Yasuda Kinen
Yushun Himba (Japanese Oaks)
Zen-Nippon Nisai Yushun

New Zealand

Auckland Cup
Easter Handicap
Kelt Capital Stakes
LvRC Classic
Mudgway Stakes
New Zealand 1000 Guineas
New Zealand 2000 Guineas
New Zealand Derby
New Zealand International Stakes
New Zealand Oaks
Stoneybridge Stakes
Telegraph Handicap
Wellington Cup

Norway

Marit Sveaas Minnelop
Norsk 1000 Guineas
Norsk 2000 Guineas
Norsk Derby
Norsk Oaks
Norsk St. Leger

Pakistan

Quaid-e-Azam Gold Cup
Pakistan Derby
New Year Cup
1000 Guineas of Pakistan
2000 Guineas of Pakistan
Pakistan St. Ledger Cup
Pakistan Oaks
Anarkali cup

Poland

Nagroda Derby Half Blood Derby (in English)
Nagroda St. Leger
Nagroda Rulera (Polish 2000 Guineas)
Nagroda Wielka Warszawska
Warsaw Derby

Russia

Bolszoj Vserossijskij Priz (Russian Derby)

Singapore

Singapore Airlines International Cup
Singapore Classic
Singapore Derby
Singapore Gold Cup

Slovakia

Slovenske Derby
Slovenske St.Leger
Slovenske Velka Jarna Cena (Slovenske 2000 Guineas)

South Africa

Cape Guineas
Champions Cup
Durban July Handicap
J&B Metropolitan Stakes
S A Classic
S A Derby (South African Derby)
South African Champion Stakes

South Korea

Korean Derby
Korean Grand Prix
Korean Oaks
President Cup

Spain

Gran Premio Madrid
Premio Beamonte (Spanish Oaks)
Premio Cimera (Spanish 2000 Guineas)
Premio Valderas (Spanish 1000 Guineas)
Premio Villamejor (Spanish St. Leger)
Premio Villapadierna (Spanish Derby)

Sweden

Jockeyklubbens Jubileumslopning (Swedish 2000 Guineas)
Svenskt Derby
Svenskt Oaks
Svenskt St. Leger
Stockholm Cup International
Täby Open Sprint Championship

Switzerland

Swiss 1000 Guineas
Swiss 2000 Guineas
Swiss Derby
Swiss Oaks
Swiss St. Leger

Turkey

Ankara Kosusu (Turkish St. Leger)
Basbakanlik - Turkish Prime Ministry Cup
Cumhurbaskanligi - Turkish Presidency Cup
Disi Tay Deneme (Turkish 1000 Guineas)
Erkek Tay Denemet (Turkish 2000 Guineas)
Gazi Kosusu (Turkish Derby)
Kisrak (Turkish Oaks)

United Arab Emirates

Dubai Duty Free Stakes
Dubai Golden Shaheen
Dubai Sheema Classic
Dubai World Cup
Godolphin Mile
UAE Derby
UAE 2000 Guineas

United Kingdom

1,000 Guineas Stakes
2,000 Guineas Stakes
Ascot Gold Cup
Champion Stakes
Derby Stakes (aka Epsom Derby)
Doncaster Cup (world's oldest race)
Eclipse Stakes
International Stakes
King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes
Oaks Stakes (aka Epsom Oaks)
St. Leger Stakes



United States

American Oaks
Arlington Million
Belmont Stakes
Blue Grass Stakes
Breeders' Cup series:
Day 1 (2009–present):
Breeders' Cup Marathon
Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf
Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint
Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies
Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf
Breeders' Cup Ladies' Classic (formerly Breeders' Cup Distaff)
Day 2 (2009–present):
Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf
Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile
Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint
Breeders' Cup Juvenile
Breeders' Cup Sprint
Breeders' Cup Mile (a turf race)
Breeders' Cup Turf
Breeders' Cup Classic
Donn Handicap
Florida Derby
Hollywood Gold Cup
Indiana Derby
Jim Dandy Stakes
Jockey Club Gold Cup
Kentucky Derby
Kentucky Oaks
Louisiana Derby
Manhattan Handicap
Pacific Classic Stakes
Phoenix Stakes
Pimlico Special
Preakness Stakes
Santa Anita Handicap
Santa Anita Derby
Travers Stakes
Whitney Handicap
Wood Memorial
Woodward Stakes

Uruguay

Gran Premio Polla de Potrillos (Uruguayan 2000 Guineas)
Gran Premio Jockey Club (Uruguayan Derby)

Zimbabwe

pre 1981, the Tankard used to grp the poor nation

When the July can attract 100 000 people then i will agree with you. I was in Hong Kong for the Derby and the public were being held up at certain points to try and control the amount of people flooding in, and these people were there to gamble and watch the horses, at the July the majority of Tent Town is just there for the party and wouldn't know much about the horses.
The Melbourne Cup really does stop a nation ! Was there in 2004, in 2000 the Kentucky Derby saw 120 000 people attend !
The July has a long way to go and if it was marketed right it would be one of the best.

You must consider size of the tracks, I am sure July is around 50,000 and I understand its almost sold out!

So it would not be logistically possible to have 100,000 imo

Plus I would add that GC does a great job marketing the race, its up North where we have a problem with the marketing.

Its me again.............I would also add that the big T might be in the wrong area but it is a magnificent racetrack and the facilities are world class as compared with a rather "old" Greyville, the restaurants etc are chalk and cheese.
That's no disrespect to anyone its just a fact.
So I would hazard a guess that if it was possible to swap the facilities over that the big T would be well attended if it was stuck in the middle of Durban where you have a far higher concentration of people who enjoy going racing.

That's me finished...............

greyvile has a capacity of 60000 . dont forget tab outlets have 100% attendance . unlike phumela we dont hav to put jumping castles to attract
crowds.the july brings fever to the whole country.listen to mdk on winning ways about winning the july

The max is 55,000 and its almost sold out

The Mauritian woman who runs a laundrette I use knows about the July ... not because of me but because her daughter is a part-time model ... the tents and fashion, etc. mean much wider coverage for the event than if it was pure racing. Most people don't read the racing news, but a lot more are interested in clothes, celebrities and festive occasions.