Durban - For some, the highlight of the Durban July Gallops at Greyville Racecourse was the complimentary sticky buns and coffee.
But for punters it was their last chance to get a glimpse of their favourite horses.
The Gallops, held 10 days before the Vodacom July, gave the public a final opportunity to check the competition and decide which horses to bet on.
Huddled in jackets, scarves and hats, people of all ages got a prelude to the big race day with ornate fashion, metallic headgear and kaleidoscopic make-up entertaining the crowd until the horses made their laps.
As each horse completed a 400m and 800m lap, shouts of “come on” echoed through the stands, with Jackson, English Garden and Beach Beauty among the crowd favourites.
Pomodoro (pictured above with a stable companion) and jockey Piere Strydom, who was clearly a punter’s favourite, received special attention.
A woman tried to fill in the horse’s times accurately while she nestled a sleeping toddler in her arms. A little boy played with toy buses and paused to grab a glimpse of the horses as they passed him.
Debating potential winners was the talk of the morning as people gathered around programmes in anticipation of one of the country’s biggest horseracing events, taking place on July 7. - Daily News