Durban - The punters are heading in, the outfits have been bought and the marquee village at the venue for on Saturday’s Vodacom Durban July is “bigger and better” than ever before.
The economic impact will be more than R440 million, with R100m coming from the on-course betting alone, according to Tourism KZN.
By midday on Thursday, 40 000 of the 55 000 tickets to the Greyville Racecourse for the biggest race in Africa had been sold, with organisers urging those who have not bought their entry tickets yet not to leave it too late.
While it would be possible to get tickets at the racecourse, tickets have been available at Computicket for the first time, enabling people around the country to buy them.
And the trend is that visitors from outside the province are now outnumbering local guests. That is good economic news for the hotels and restaurants and the rest of the tourism business, as the average spend of an out-of-province racegoer is more than double the local visitor.
Gold Circle’s July spokesman, Dave McCleod, said that according to a recent survey, the number of visitors from outside KZN was 20% in 2011: now it has shot up to more than 50%.
It is estimated that the out-of-towners spend R156 122 151 compared to the R70 656 397 spent by KZN fans. The average out-of-province visitor spends just over R6 000 on travel, clothing, tickets and entertainment, while the local one shells out an average of R1 778.
Taking the look of the big raceday to a new high is the presence of three double-storey marquees, the only ones in the country. It is the first time they have been seen at the same function.
They are boosted by 27 other marquees with Edwina Brown, the event co-ordinator for Event World, managers of the marquee village saying it was “bigger and better than ever before”.
The last of the marquee decor will go in on Friday as Vodacom Durban July fever kicks in and betting starts in earnest.
About 420 journalists have arrived, some from Australia, the UK, Dubai, Singapore and, for the first time, from the US.
There is said to be a “big hype” in Australia about South African-born jockey, Chad Schofield, who now lives in Australia.
Schofield, who will ride The Conglomerate, comes from a long line of July-winners.
His great-grandfather was the legendary Charlie Barends, who won the race in 1938, while his grandfather, Aubrey Roberts, won in 1962, said racing guru, Andrew Harrison.
Although Schofield’s father, Glyn - who was one of South Africa’s leading jockeys before emigrating to Australia in 2007 - had seven rides in the July, he never won a place. Now all eyes will be on his son.
As to the favourite to win the big race? That’s Legal Eagle.
* Clear skies are forecast for Durban this weekend. South African Weather Service forecaster Wiseman Dlamini said there would be a breeze but ‘nothing to shake a tent’. On Friday morning chill will remain, but temperatures could reach 27ºC on Saturday.
The latest July betting:
28-10 Legal Eagle
9-2 Majmu
6-1 Futura, Wylie Hall
7-1 French Navy
15-1 Power King, Pine Princess
25-1 Tellina
28-1 The Conglomerate, Helderberg Blue
33-1 Punta Arenas
40-1 Ice Machine, Halve The Deficit, Deputy Jud, Tamaanee
50-1 Hot Ticket
80-1 Dynastic Power, Gold Onyx
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