30 Jan Queen’s Plate 2020

On January 10/11, the Kenilworth Racecourse played host to Africa’s premier horse racing 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 equestrian world has to offer, set to a background of some of Cape Town’s most popular jazz bands. Over 7 000 visitors attended the event, all of whom passed through a display of some of FMM’s own blue-and-white horsepower – a 1925 Brescia Bugatti, a 1928 Ford Model A, a supercharged 1936 Auburn Speedster, a 1937 Ford Club Coupé, a 1953 BMW Isetta and a 1955 Chevrolet Bel Air – which flanked the entrance to the race course.

With its reworked layout, the Style Village flowed with L’Ormarins Brut quenching the balmy Cape weather. Friday’s relaxed LQP Garden Party showcased L’Ormarins hospitality at its beguiling best. On the Saturday, the Cape Minstrels treated visitors to an authentic taste of Cape Town as the introduction to the main race, the L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate. Billed as the most anticipated race of 2020, Vardy, ridden by Craig Zackey, treated race goers with a thrilling ride to head home the field comprising the country’s 10 best horses and jockeys and capture the R1,5-million purse. The win also gave entry into the elite Breeders’ Cup Mile in the USA and the Glorious Goodwood Peninsula Handicap in England later in the year.

Luxury prizes were awarded to Zinzi Ntoyiwa for Best Hat, Charles Samuels for Best Dressed Man and Roxy Joubert for Best Dressed Woman. All the excitement of the day culminated in the legendary LQP after-party with revelers dancing the night away under the skillful direction of SA’s top DJs.