Pocket Power (File)

Durban - Greyville Racecourse will be transformed into a floral fiesta on Saturday as the 114th running of the Durban July looks set to attract another sell-out crowd in perfect clear and warm midwinter Durban weather conditions.

Hospitality suites, trackside picnic sites and the legendary infield Marquee Village will be packed with spirited fashionistas, socialites and punters, all dressed for the occasion and providing their interpretation of the theme “It’s a Blooming Great Day”.

That theme has run like a thread through three months of top-end fashion competitions and shows around the country, until all roads lead to the Action Stage in front of the massive toteboard on Saturday afternoon when the finalists in the various pre-raceday competitions will be shown for one last time, and then the winners announced.

The judges decided on the winners ten days ago, but the champions of the Durban July Young Designer Award, Fashion Challenge and Extraordinary Hat competitions will be the best kept secrets in the fashion industry until raceday.

On the day thousands will flock to the home straight at 9:30am to be included in the selection process for the hugely popular raceday fashion competitions. These range from competitions for the most striking couple, classic racewear, extraordinary hat, and the crowd favourite, the most avant garde outfits.

These sensationalist garment will jockey for space on the front pages of the national newspapers on Sunday with the winner of the main race, which will be run at 16:20 in front 55 000 excited racing fans.

Racing experts are loathed to tip a hot favourite for the R3 million Durban July, and are instead agreeing that the big race is wide open.

Mike de Kock has seven runners in the field of twenty, with Bold Silvano and Irish Flame currently topping to bookmakers boards.

However in the days before the big race, punters have started opting for the tried and trusted juggernauts of the South African racing scene, and 2008 joint winner Pocket Power and his full sister River Jetez from the Mike Bass stable have enjoyed steadily increasing support along with stablemate Fort Vogue.

Intrigue in the race is running at fever pitch, and looks set to bloom into another bumper spend at totes across the country, and despite the lingering economic recession, there is every reason to believe that the betting splurge will top the R90.7 million wagered on the raceday last year.

The event provides a weekend long cash injection estimated at over R500 million for the regional economy as spectators flock from every corner of the country, and indeed from around the world, to be part of Africa’s Greatest Horseracing Event.

After the hugely successful FIFA Soccer World Cup, sporting euphoria is still very much in the air, and the bright optimistic mood will extend to Greyville Racecourse on Saturday as well.

The lavishly adorned and catered hospitality suites and marquees will entertain the year's most star-studded gathering of A List celebrities, movie stars, sporting icons, cabinet ministers, captains of industry, beauty queens, musicians and socialites.

The VDurban July takes place at Greyville Racecourse on Saturday, July 31, 2010. More information can be found at www.vodacomdurbanjuly.co.za