Capetonians bring the heat at Africa’s richest race

CAPE Town brought the heat as the excitement of Africa’s richest race, the R5 million Hollywoodbets Durban July, unfolded at the famous Greyville Racecourse last weekend.

Several trainers, owners and connections from the Mother City stole the thunder with their stellar performances. As it turned out, the 2024 Durban July winner was a Cape Town horse, Oriental Charm, with Cape Town jockey JP van der Merwe in the saddle.

Two of the winner’s three owners, Greg Bortz and Gina Goldsmith, are Capetonians. The other owner is Leon Ellman, who is based in the USA.

Oriental Charm is trained by Cape Town trainer Brett Crawford. Cheveley Stud, the Western Cape breeder, is owned by Wilfred Köster.

It was an incredible string of feats for the Capetonians, starting with Bortz, who has been hailed as a saviour of racing in the Mother City after pioneering Cape Racing to prevent the collapse of the industry in Cape Town.

He was speechless after Van der Merwe guided Oriental Charm to victory. It was an experience beyond his dreams because he never believed he could own a Durban July winner one day.

Bortz grew up in the Greyville Racecourse surrounds and was used to hearing the commentators calling the races. However, much later in his life after his move to Cape Town, he started owing horses and has become one the country’s leading administrators.

“I was sick for horse racing from a young age and dreamt that one day I’d own a racehorse,” said Bortz.

“That literally was the dream. This race (the Durban July) was the foundation of my youth and to know I own a July winner, it’s mind-blowing!

“Growing up just up the road, it truly is a dream come true.

“The one thing this horse has shown us over and over again is he has a heart like no horse I’ve ever owned.

“I thought he was beaten twice and he came back twice. It is as (jockey) JP likes to say, ‘He’s a boytjie!’”

Bortz was wildly excited when Oriental Charm crossed the winning line, but because of the tight finish he was not sure about the outcome.

“Only about 200 metres after the line I knew he could be the winner. I wasn’t sure,” said Bortz.

“You are so focused on your horse, it was only about 10 minutes later I found out who the runner-up was; it was all a blur!”

For trainer Crawford it was a second consecutive Durban July victory. Oriental Charm’s stablemate Winchester Mansion won the race last year.

The three-year-old Oriental Charm is a R375 000 National Yearling Sale graduate and has now won four races with two places from 10 starts and stakes of R3 484 376.