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Cape Town - The famed Kenilworth racecourse, together with a bright skied Cape Town summer, played host to Africa’s premier horseracing event, the L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate Racing Festival.
It was a magnificent two days of blue and white styled luxury, fashion and the best the horseracing world has to offer. Guests were indulged in the most elegant experience on the social calendar.
Billed as the most anticipated race of 2020, Vardy with jockey Craig Zackey took the Grade 1, R1.5 million L'Ormarins Queen's Plate purse with racegoers treated to a thrilling showdown from a field that included the country’s 10 best horses and jockeys.
The two-day event - on Friday 10 and Saturday 11 January 2020 - attracted over 7 000 visitors, who arrived in their most stylish blue and white with some ladies and gentlemen setting new heights in sophisticated elegance.
Celebrities and personalities in attendance included Luthando “Loot Love” Shosha, Liezel van der Westhuizen, Kamo Modisakeng, Lunga Shabalala, Jeannie D, Nambitha Ben-Mazwi, Hip-Hop Star Da Les, Nandi Mbatha and Springboks Faf de Klerk and Steven Kitshoff - among others.
With its reworked layout and playful short-format race card set to jazz, the Style Village flowed with L'Ormarins Brut quenching a barmy Cape summer day.
Friday's relaxed LQP Garden Party showcased L'Ormarins hospitality at its beguiling best exceeding last year’s attendance. The elegantly dressed garden evoked a fun, playful atmosphere. Curated lifestyle attractions like the Beauty Bar where ladies could touch up their make-up and hair, the vintage car display featuring a R4 million valued Bugatti and the LQP carousel installation were a sophisticated touch indicative of why the L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate is one of the best equestrian events in the world.
Saturday’s card kept race-goers enthralled and jubilant as South Africa's finest horsemen and their equines battled for glory in an unparalleled day of racing. It showcased the exciting L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate and Cartier Paddock Stakes (Grade 1), the only South African race which allow winners entry into the elite Breeders’ Cup Mile in the USA, as well as the Glorious Goodwood Peninsula Handicap (Grade 2).
Competition equally fierce trackside in the Best Dressed & Best Hat competitions, with luxury prizes awarded to Zinzi Ntoyiwa (for Best Hat), Charles Samuels (for Best Dressed Man) and Roxy Joubert (for Best Dressed Woman) who wins a 5-day trip for two to the United Kingdom, as well as two tickets to the L’Ormarins Luncheon at the Qatar Glorious Goodwood Racing Festival in July 2020.
In a colourful display of cultural heritage, the Cape Minstrels treated visitors to an authentic taste of Cape Town, parading in a kaleidoscope of colour and joyful singing which was the perfect introduction to the main race.
All the excitement of the day culminated in the very legendary LQP after-party with revellers dancing the night away under the skilful direction of DJ of the year: DJ PH and the DJ’s from Roastin’ Records, making it truly a day to remember.
“It’s such an honour and pleasure to see LQP Racing Festival grow in stature and become such a beloved event. We are thrilled with a record number of attendees this year and particularly proud of cultivating a stylish yet intimate experience for our guests. We look forward to taking the festival to even greater heights in 2021,” said LQP co-ordinator, Katherine Gray.
