Cape Town – The Cape sparkled as celebrities, socialites and the horse-racing fraternity opened the summer social calendar at the L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate (LPQ) at Kenilworth Racecourse at the weekend.
LPQ’s weight-for-age mile is one of the oldest and most storied horse races in South Africa.
This year marked the 158th edition of the premier race and for the third year the event was staged as a two-day festival.
The event concluded on Saturday after starting with a 500-guest garden party held on Friday before the main event on Saturday, which attracted over 4000 racegoers.
Once the racing was done and the champions crowned, celebrations continued well into the evening at the stylish Stud Club, where racegoers put on their dancing shoes and relived the achievements of the day at the LQP after party.
This year’s event also saw the launch of a new track-side layout where all guests had access to the track and finish line, and LQP co-ordinator Katherine Gray said the change was made to give guests the chance to see the race in full rather than just the end, as had been the case in previous editions.
With its classic blue and white theme, celebrities and guests alike arrived throughout the afternoon dressed in their best interpretations of the theme.
Some of the celebs in attendance included Siv Ngesi, Nomzamo Mbatha, Miss SA Tamaryn Green and Lady Nam.
Also spotted in the crowd were former Proteas cricketer Jacques Kallis, chef Reuben Riffel, and former DA parliamentary leader Lindiwe Mazibuko.
Most of the plants and flowers used at the event were brought in from farms in Franschhoek and replanted at the racecourse, with the carbon footprint minimised and water saving kept in mind.