An iconic moment in L’Ormarins King’s Plate history as homebred Charles Dickens is led in by the race’s sponsor and hostess Gaynor Rupert, who is the primary driving force behind the meeting’s success, after winning the prestigious wfa mile in 2024 (Picture: LKP)
International Spotlight on the 165th LÓrmarins King’s Plate with Hong Kong World Pool Debut
Cape Town, South Africa – South Africa’s premier weight-for-age mile, the Grade 1 LÓrmarins King’s Plate, will once again command the global racing spotlight when it is run at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth Racecourse on Saturday, 10 January.
Now in its 165th running, the LÓrmarins King’s Plate continues to cement its status as one of the most prestigious race meetings on the international racing calendar. LÓrmarins celebrates its 22nd year as headline sponsor, with the event instantly recognisable by its iconic blue-and-white décor and dress code, and supported by a portfolio of premium partners including Cartier.
The international appeal of the race day is further strengthened by its association with the Breeders’ Cup “Win and You’re In” programme. The LÓrmarins King’s Plate (Gr1) offers the winner an automatic berth into the Breeders’ Cup Turf Mile, while this incentive has also been extended to the Cartier Paddock Stakes (Gr1). In addition, the inclusion of the World Pool Cape Flying Championship (Gr1) on the programme creates a third automatic qualifier for the Breeders’ Cup Championships, underlining the meeting’s global significance.
In a major milestone for South African racing, the entire LÓrmarins King’s Plate race meeting will, for the first time, be hosted by the Hong Kong Jockey Club as a World Pool event. All ten races on the card will be commingled into the World Pool, with Win, Place, Exacta, Quinella and Swinger pools available across the programme, dramatically increasing international liquidity and global betting engagement.
Race 1 is scheduled to start at 12:25 (local time), with the LÓrmarins King’s Plate set to be run at 16:45, and the final race concluding the day at 17:55.
With elite racing, global wagering integration and world-class partnerships, the 2026 LÓrmarins King’s Plate race meeting promises to be a landmark occasion for South African and international racing alike.
