The Gr 1 WSB Met is a big highlight of the Cape Summer Festival Of Racing and was won last year by he Justin Snaith-trained See It Again (Picture: Wayne Marks)
More Than Just Racing. A Cape Summer Experience.
The Cape Summer Festival of Racing is where the good meet the great – and where world-class racing meets the very best of a Cape summer.
From November through to February, Hollywoodbets Kenilworth will host six feature race days, bringing together South Africa’s leading horses, trainers and jockeys alongside food, fashion, music, entertainment, family experiences and some of Cape Town’s most anticipated social occasions.
Each race day has its own personality and its own reason to attend. From the relaxed, family-friendly opening of the Lucky Fish Cape Punters Cup and Prawn Festival, to Tacos, Tequila & Purpose on World Sports Betting Cape Fillies Guineas Day, Christmas at the Races for the Hollywoodbets Cape Guineas, the elegance of the L’Ormarins King’s Plate, the spectacle of the World Sports Betting Cape Town Met, and a sporting finale combining racing and international show jumping on Swiss Derby Day.
And at the heart of it all is exceptional racing.
The Festival opens on Sunday, 29 November 2026 with the Lucky Fish Cape Punters Cup, an important early marker for the three-year-olds heading towards the Grade 1 Hollywoodbets Cape Guineas. Away from the track, the Prawn Festival sets the tone for the summer with seafood, live entertainment, family activities and a relaxed day at the races.
The first Grade 1 of the Cape season follows on Saturday, 5 December, when the country’s leading three-year-old fillies step forward in the World Sports Betting Cape Fillies Guineas. Flower Island and Over My Shoulder could help set up an intriguing contest as the leading names from around South Africa arrive in the Cape with serious intent.
Off the track, Tacos, Tequila & Purpose brings together food, cocktails, entertainment and a strong charity element for a social day built around friendship and a good cause.
On Wednesday, 16 December, attention turns to the Hollywoodbets Cape Guineas, one of the defining tests for South Africa’s emerging three-year-old stars. Jan Van Goyen stamped his authority on the race in 2025, giving Mike and Mathew de Kock their first major Cape success as an official training partnership. The next generation could include the likes of Viva’s Asterix, Coast Of The Sun, Erik Dubois, Haute Couture, Fish Tales, Wreath Of Snow and Continue The Dream.
With the race falling firmly into the festive season, Christmas at the Races adds another dimension to the day, with Santa, a Christmas market, live music, family entertainment and festive experiences making it a day for far more than racing fans alone.
The new year brings two of the great occasions on South Africa’s racing and social calendar.
On Saturday, 9 January 2027, Hollywoodbets Kenilworth turns blue and white for the L’Ormarins King’s Plate. The Real Prince won in 2026, adding his name to a roll of honour filled with some of South Africa’s great racehorses. The 2027 renewal could see the likes of Questioning and Jan Van Goyen among the stars targeting the premier 1600m contest, while the possibility of Double Grand Slam taking on the race would add further intrigue.
The same card features the Cartier Paddock Stakes and the World Pool Cape Flying Championship, bringing together some of the country’s best fillies, mares and sprinters. Beyond the racing, the King’s Plate remains one of Cape Town’s most distinctive summer occasions, combining fashion, fine dining, entertainment and premium hospitality.
Three weeks later, the Festival reaches its pinnacle with the World Sports Betting Cape Town Met on Saturday, 30 January 2027.
South Africa’s Horse of the Year See It Again claimed the WSB CPT Met in 2026, re-establishing himself among the country’s elite. There is every chance he could return to defend his crown, with stern competition potentially coming from Note To Self, Viva’s Liberte, Eight On Eighteen and a host of other leading contenders.
The Maine Chance Majorca Stakes adds further quality to an outstanding card, with Quickstepgal, Double Grand Slam, Reet Petite and Wish List among the names that could face off in one of the day’s other major contests.
But Met Day has long been about more than what happens on the track. Fashion, music, entertainment, hospitality and world-class racing come together on the Festival’s biggest stage for the day Cape Town dresses up, shows up and celebrates summer. The 2027 World Sports Betting Cape Town Met theme will be officially revealed at the beginning of November, marking the start of the build-up to one of South Africa’s great sporting and lifestyle occasions.
The Cape Summer Festival of Racing reaches its finale on Saturday, 27 February 2027 with Swiss Derby Day.
The Derby has traditionally been an important test for the country’s leading three-year-olds as they progress towards the major races later in the season. Last season Wish List became the first filly since 1999 to win the race, establishing herself as one of the country’s leading young horses with an emphatic victory. The race also provides an important stepping stone as the three-year-old generation begins looking towards Africa’s Greatest Horserace, the Hollywoodbets Durban July.
For the Festival finale, racing will share the stage with international show jumping, alongside Swiss-inspired food and experiences, live music, family entertainment and a sunset celebration – bringing the Cape summer to a close with a true sporting spectacle.
Six feature race days. Six different experiences. One Cape summer.
Tickets launching soon! Tickets for the Cape Summer Festival of Racing feature days will be available to purchase through Computicket. Keep an eye out for the official ticket launch announcement, and be sure to secure yours early. With six incredible race days and something for everyone, you won’t want to miss out!
And you don’t have to wait for a feature race day to experience racing at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth. Racing takes place approximately twice a week throughout the season, and general admission to regular race meetings is free. Come down for an afternoon at the races, bring the family or meet up with friends, enjoy something to eat and drink and experience the action from trackside.
Whether you are a lifelong racing fan or have never been to the races before, there is something for everyone. Full racing fixtures are available on the Race Coast website.
From the first emerging three-year-olds laying down their credentials in November to established champions competing on racing’s biggest stages in January and the final Derby test in February, the Cape Summer Festival of Racing brings together the very best of the sport with everything that makes summer in Cape Town special.
More Than Just Racing. A Cape Summer Experience.
