Gold Circle and Phumelela, are delighted to announce a substantial increase in the stakes of South Africa's three premier races, the Gommagomma Summer Cup, the Vodacom Durban July and the Met. Collectively, the stakes of the three events now total R6,25 million.

The Vodacom Durban July will in future be contested for a stake of R2-million, an increase of R500 000. This will ensure that come the first Saturday in July, the country's 20 best thoroughbreds will gather at Greyville Racecourse to take their place in the starting stalls to challenge for this conveted title.

The stake of the Gommagomma Summer Cup is to be increased from R2-million to R2,5 million, thus maintaining the event’s status as the richest race on the continent.

Run on the last Saturday in November over 2000m at Turffontein, this test of talent and courage has produced some great battles in recent years and brings Phumelela’s Summer Feature Season to a magnificent finale.

The J&B Met, won this season by Alastor who earned just over R900 000 for taking the lion's share of the R1,5-million prize money on offer, will next year have its stake increased to R1,75-million. Not only is this social and racing highlight of the Western Cape's Summer Season sure to continue to lure the best horses and the trendiest people to Kenilworth in Cape Town, but it will also offer a greater incentive for foreign horses to compete.

With R6,25-million up for grabs and the All Stars bonus of R2,5-million for any one horse winning all three races consecutively, the three events entrench horseracing as a truly great sport and offer the country’s top horses the opportunity to compete for mega prize money.

“With the latest stakes increases and the R2,5 million bonus, it’s now possible for a horse to earn more than R6 million in three races in just seven months, which is a major boost for racehorse ownership and the horseracing industry,” said Phumelela horseracing executive Graeme Hawkins.

"Phumelela and Gold Circle have been acutely aware of the need to increase the stakes of our three great races in order to ensure that they enjoy the status they deserve," said Michel Nairac, Chief Executive Officer of Gold Circle.

"Not only do these increases go some way to achieving that, but we hope that they will entice foreign horses to our shores and incentivise our top horses that are plying their trade aboard to return home to contest these great events," added Nairac.