Horse Racing in South Africa

Horse racing is one of the most popular betting sports in South Africa. Punters can place bets on one horse in each of the legs from one to four. Betting also allows the choice of two horses in each of the legs from five to seven. Should all the selected horses finish in the first three, the payouts are eight times the bet. Most bettors place exacta bets in which you need to predict the horses that will complete the race in the first and second places. To win, you also have to predict the exact order of the first two.

The most excellent betting option is the swinger or the Each-way bet that combines a win with a place bet. Place bets require you to predict the horses that will end the race in the first, second or third place.

Horse Racing Tracks in South Africa

Due to the popularity of horse racing, there are quite a few racing tracks in the country including Turffontein, The Vaal, Scottsville, Kenilworth, Greyville, Flamingo Park, Fairview, Durbanville and Borrowdale Park. Turffontein a right-handed track with a straight of 1,200 m and 2,600 circumferences, It is considered the stiffest of the tracks in the country due to the steady climb of around 1,200 m to the last turn.

The Vaal

The Vaal horse racing track offers a run-in of around 1,000 m, and it is the country’s longest track, and it is the only straight course of about 1,600 m. All the races at the Vaal take place down the straight that tests the jockey’s judgement and the stamina of the horse.

Scottsville

Scottsville is another right-handed horse racing course with a 2,300 m circumference and a chute for races of 1,800 m. The track offers a run-in of around 600 m with a steady include. The downhill run is 600 m, and horses that do well in sprints generally favour the uphill 1,200 m and all races.

Kenilworth

Kenilworth is one of South Africa’s left-handed tracks, which makes it unique. This reasonably new track is 2,800 m and with a run-in of 450 m, while it is mostly used for racing in winter. The first climb of the route is 200 m there is also rise at the end of the track of 200 m, and this tests the horse ability to remain fast to the end. The horses that do well at Kenilworth are those who do well across middle distances or those who enjoy sprints.

Greyville

Lots of races also take place on the pear-shaped rack of Greyville, which hosts the run of the year in March. Horses and jockeys with the ability to do great in Greyville usually also like racing on Turf. Horse race betting remains one of the most popular sports betting options in the country and has been for many years. Most bettors use a formula that includes statistics of previous races, the jockeys weight, experience and trainers.