Cape Town’s most prestigious horse race and biggest annual social occasion, the J&B Met, will go global once again this year as a team from CNN is traveling to the city to film the event for the second year running.
This will be the 38th renewal of the longest standing sports sponsorship in the country. However, the race's rich history dates as far back as 1876, and has earned its status as a must-attend event for socialites, horseracing fanatics and fashionistas.
Last year CNN's horse-racing program, The Winning Post, took a snapshot of the South African racing industry by presenting three days of coverage around the J&B Met. They then took the scenes to a global audience via an episode shown on Winning Post on February 27.
Winning Post looked at some of the issues affecting racing in the country and attained the inside track from some of the top trainers, jockeys and owners. They visited the likes of champion trainer Justin Snaith's yard as well as the Drakenstein Stud farm of the passionate South African racing ambassador Gaynor Rupert. Other important players like champion jockey S'manga Khumalo were also interviewed.
The event made a big impact on the team behind Winning Post and they are back for more.
Thami Silwana, Marketing Head for J&B, commented last year that he was "extremely excited and honoured by the local and international media interest the event continues to generate and to have drawn the interest of a global giant news leader.”
The J&B Met, with the theme “Made for the Mix" this year, takes place on January 31 at the Kenilworth Racecourse. Silwana said, "Made for the mix is supposed to inspire action, to make people mix something together and create."
Silwana has emerged as a style icon himself, dressing to impress every year and said that this year he planned to mix Zulu, Asian and European influence into his garb.
Clyde Basel from Phumelela said: "We are so impressed that CNN will feature the J&B Met on an episode of Winning Post. South African Horse Racing is very proud."
A diamond to the value of R500 000 can be won on J&B Met day by one lucky patron who purchases an entrance ticket via Computicket. The general public is encouraged to visit
www.computicket.co.za
for more information on all hospitality offerings.
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