South African racing to be broadcast to Singapore

Phumelela Gold Enterprises (PGE) and the Singapore Turf Club have announced the ‘live’ telecast of South African horse races to Singapore from Wednesday, 13 September 2006. South African races will be screened ‘live’ along with Hong Kong races on Wednesdays.

The Club will take the “live” telecast of races from different racing centres in South Africa, starting from Wednesday, 13 September 2006. The first race will start at 6:35pm.

From October most South African race meetings on Wednesdays will take place in KwaZulu-Natal at one of three racecourses – Greyville, Clairwood and Scottsville. Greyville plays host annually to South Africa’s most famous race, the Vodacom Durban July.

Added Mr Yu Pang Fey, President and Chief Executive of Singapore Turf Club, “As part of a bilateral exchange, Singapore racing is now enjoyed by racing enthusiasts alongside UK races in South Africa.  I am happy to note that Singapore races “outsell” races from UK by some 25%. I am sure Singapore fans will enjoy the racing from this added venue. They are quite familiar with racing from South Africa. South African trainer Mike de Kock, who captured this year’s QE II Cup in Hong Kong with South African challenger Irridescence, is no stranger to Singapore, having entered his horse, Falstaff (now Our Falstaff under Kranji-based trainer Patrick Shaw), in the Singapore Airlines International Cup 2006. His other entries for the prestigious Cup were Right Approach and Excalibur in 2005 and Surveyor in 2004”.

In Singapore, South Africans have also made their mark in Singapore racing. Patrick Shaw has established himself as one of Singapore’s leading trainers since relocating to Kranji a few years ago, while jockey Barend Vorster has ridden many winners during his time in Singapore.

Source: Singapore Turf Club