Major sports bookmaker, World Sports Betting, has significantly increased its investment in South African horseracing by committing a minimum R34 million towards the sponsorship of 4Racing’s blue chip events in Gauteng and Eastern Cape over the next three years.
World Sports Betting are long-time sponsors of the WSB Triple Crown Series that traditionally kicks off the Gauteng horseracing season, and they will now also sponsor ‘The Championships’ season in Johannesburg, which will now be known as ‘The World Sports Betting Championships’.
In addition to the first three legs of the World Sports Betting Triple Crown, held in tandem annually with the Wilgerbosdrift Triple Tiara, The World Sports Betting Championships also includes the Royal Race Day, headlined by the Her Serene Highness Princess Charlene Empress Club Stakes, and the eagerly-anticipated Champions Day, which is the finale of The WSB Championships.
As part of their exciting partnership and sports marketing investment with 4Racing, World Sports Betting will continue to sponsor the Vaal’s big racing day out, the Grand Heritage, and the East Cape Derby at Fairview over the next three years.
The deal will also see World Sports Betting invest significantly into 4Racing’s broadcast programming on Racing 240, on activations around major WSB race days and on Grooms’ CSI initiatives.
“This investment by World Sports Betting into the future sustainability of South African horseracing is hugely significant. We appreciate their confidence in and support for The World Sports Betting Championships season, which has added a new dimension to the start of the Johannesburg horseracing season. We are also appreciative of WSB’s sponsorship of our major race days in the Vaal and Nelson Mandela Bay. While the horseracing industry remains under pressure to ensure its long-term survival, we are heartened by the partners who have come on board to put their name, energy and support behind our major race days on the 4Racing calendar and to ensure stakes remain competitive. We will continue to make the sport of horseracing appealing to punters, corporates and all stakeholders who are strongly invested in the much-loved sport of horseracing,” said 4Racing Chief Executive Officer, Fundi Sithebe.
World Sports Betting’s sponsorship includes a range of on-course, digital and broadcast promotional displays on Racing 240 and its magazine shows such Weighted To Win, while WSB will also contribute to activations on major race days and sponsor Grooms’ prizes for all Graded WSB-sponsored races.
“We are proud and more so honoured to be part of this journey and partnership with 4Racing. Our aim and vision go hand in hand with that of the 4Racing Executive team and all major players and contributors to ensure the sustainably and longevity of the sport we live and breathe. Our plan is to welcome a new life into the sport of racing, creating awareness, an element of fun and lifestyle too. We look forward to a long and fruitful partnership with 4Racing,” said World Sports Betting Group Holdings CEO, Warren Tannous.
The third leg of the World Sports Betting Championships, the R4.3 million Derby Day, takes place at Turffontein on Saturday 1 April, headlined by the R1.5 million World Sports Betting SA Derby (Grade 1), R1 million HF Oppenheimer Horse Chestnut Stakes (Grade 1) and the R750 000 Wilgerbosdrift Bridget Oppenheimer Oaks (Grade 2).
The World Sports Betting Championships continues on Saturday 15 April with the Royal Race Day, headlined by the R1.250 000 HSH Princess Charlene Empress Club Stakes (Grade 1), as well as the Racehorse Owners Association’s R300 000 Monaco Sport of Kings Charity Maiden Sprint.
The WSB Championships’ Finale concludes on day five with the high-octane Champions Day on Saturday April 29, which is a major highlight on the South African horseracing calendar packed with top quality Graded races galore.
Champions Day includes the Grade 1 Premier’s Champions Challenge, the Middle Distance Championship, and the Grade 1 Jonsson Workwear Computaform Sprint, the quickest 1000m event in the land which crowns the best sprinter.
The day also contains a host of Championship Graded races for Juveniles, Fillies and Mares.
The World Sports Betting East Cape Derby takes place on Friday 12 May 2023, while the World Sports Betting Grand Heritage at the Vaal takes place on Saturday 9 December this year.
The remainder of the World Sports Betting Championships’ season race days’ details are as follows:
Day 3: Derby Day, 1 April:
• WSB South African Derby Gr.1 Leg 3, The Triple Crown, The 3yo Championship
• Wilgerbosdrift Bridget Oppenheimer Oaks, Gr.2, Leg 3, The Triple Tiara - The 3yo Fillies Championship
• H. F Oppenheimer Horse Chestnut Stakes, Gr.1 - The Mile Championship
Day 4: Royal Race Day, 15 April:
• HSH Princess Charlene Empress Club Stakes, Gr.1 - The Fillies and Mares Mile Championship
• Racehorse Owners Association’s Monaco Sport of Kings Charity Maiden Sprint.
Day 5: The World Sports Betting Championships Finale, 29 April:
• Premier’s Championship Challenge Gr.1 – The Middle-Distance Championship
• Jonsson Workwear Computaform Sprint Gr 1. – The Sprint Championship
• S.A Nursery Gr.2 – The Juvenile Championship
• S.A Filles Nursey Gr.2 – The Juvenile Filles Championship
• Gerald Rosenberg Gr.2 – The Fillies and Mares Middle Distance Championship
• Camellia Stakes Gr. 2 – The Fillies and Mares Sprint Championship
• Gold Bowl Gr.3 - The Staying Championship
Entrance into the Turffontein Racecourse is free throughout ‘The World Sports Betting Championships’ season.
ENDS
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