From the desk – September
Dear Members
Welcome to the September edition of ROA Today.
Spring brings fresh energy and exciting developments for our racing community.
Our Family Fun and Braai Day held at Randjesfontein was a wonderful celebration, uniting the racing community to create memories and welcome new members. The event was an overwhelming success and proved a brilliant activation leading up to the Betway Summer Cup. We were able to foster stronger connections among ROA members and their families as well as highlight the unique environment of Randjesfontein Training Centre. Guests enjoyed great music, delicious food, and plenty of camaraderie. The event was able to showcase racing’s inclusivity and encourage broader engagement. Click here for a review of this a new annual tradition.
This month 4Racing hosted the Eastern Cape Awards for the 2024/2025 season. The evening was an elegant affair, and all attendees went out of their way to add something special to the evening. For more on our winners as well as a photographic collection of memories of the awards evening, please click here. We congratulate all our champions, both human and equine and wish them a successful season ahead.
Congratulations also goes to Andrea Puggia, a winning owner at the East Cape Awards and our ROA Owner of the Month—a well-deserved accolade. Please click here for more on Mr Puggia’s racing story.
Our Life Member of the Month for September is the legendary Mike de Kock, recently inducted into the South African Hall of Fame, and recognised his outstanding contribution to the sport, we proudly salute his outstanding achievements and are delighted to further honour him in this way. Click here for our Life Member feature.
Renovations at the Vaal Racecourse are underway and progressing well. These improvements will enhance the experience for owners and racegoers once complete. We appreciate everyone’s patience during this exciting transformation. Click here for more information on the refurbishment process.
Please note that 4Racing is strengthening access requirements for all training facilities and any visitors would need to advise whom they are visiting. Owners are therefore kindly requested to coordinate with their trainers in advance before visiting. This serves to better safeguard our facilities and we appreciate owners’ cooperation in this matter.
I take this opportunity to update members on the call for nominations to the ROA Board, the process of which concluded on September 15th. No further nominations were received from members and therefore Mr Xander Spies and Mrs Jackie Sparke are deemed duly nominated and will stand for re-election at the ROA AGM in 2026.
The Spring Season is heating up with exciting events ahead; the running of the Betway Joburg Spring Challenge (G2) and the Betway Joburg Spring Fillies and Mares Challenge (G2) takes place at Turffontein on October 4th. The ROA Stakes (Listed) over 1600m is run at Fairview on Friday 24th October and The Algoa Cup rounds off a thrilling month on Friday, 31 October.
A gentle final reminder to all members who may have not yet renewed your membership. Please renew today to remain in good standing and retain all ROA privileges. Your continued support keeps our community thriving and we look forward to a full calendar of events throughout the coming months.
Here’s to an action-packed spring season and continued success for all our members!
