IT’S the biggest, most glamorous event on the racing calendar and the Greyville Racecourse in Durban is usually swarming with the who’s who of South Africa, dressed to the nines and quaffing bubbly in the balmy KwaZulu- Natal winter sunshine.
But of course, things must be done very differently these days. Last year the Durban July was held behind closed doors and this year it was a significantly watered-down affair.
There were no cheering crowds, no booze, and precious little fanfare. The only people allowed onto the grounds were trainers, jockeys, core racing personnel and a handful of media representatives.
Everyone else had to watch the R2,5million race on TV – and that included the owners of the racehorses galloping to the finishing line in all their thoroughbred magnificence.
But for one owner, it was good enough – in fact, it was almost too much to take in. Ashwin Reynolds watched as his horse, Kommetdieding, overcame an unfavourable draw to dash to glory in the final seconds of the race. The win caused a major upset for race favourites Got the Greenlight and Linebacker.
In a rags-to-riches story fit for a fairy tale, the sensational win made Ashwin (47), who grew up in impoverished circumstances on the Cape Flats, the first person of colour to own a Durban July winner in the race’s almost-125-year history.
His racing colors will now be displayed on the wall of honor in Hollywoodbets Greyville’s Classic Room alongside many of South Africa’s most famous racing silks (the colorful uniforms jockeys wear).
Denne historien er fra 22 July 2021-utgaven av YOU South Africa.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent ? Logg på
Denne historien er fra 22 July 2021-utgaven av YOU South Africa.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
HOW TO BE YOUR OWN THERAPIST
With more and more of us struggling with our mental health, here's a common-sense guide to coping with life's ups and downs
SPUD: THE MAGIC CONTINUES
John van de Ruit tells us why he decided to write a sequel - and shares how his first book helped him find enduring love
SEX CONTRACT GONE WRONG
A Cape Town couple have been charged with using a young woman as a sex slave-but some say she lost the job she signed up for and now has a grudge against them
LIAM LAID TO REST
More than a month after One Direction singer LIAM PAYNE (31) tragically fell to his death from a balcony in Buenos Aires, Argentina, his loved ones finally got to say their goodbyes.
SHILOH HANGS OUT
THE two young women look like any pair of good friends chatting and laughing as they leave their dance class in Los Angeles.
LEO IN LOVE
He's just turned 50 and it seems Leonardo DiCaprio may finally be ready to settle down
PACKING A PUNCH
Irish actor Paul Mescal beefed up for his role in the blockbuster epic Gladiator II - and fans are loving it
I DIDN'T CHOOSE TO BE A LOVE CHILD
As the illegitimate daughter of the king, she fought to be recognised as part of Belgium's royal family, but Princess Delphine says she still feels unwelcome
'I STILL HAVE NIGHTMARES'
A bite from a spitting cobra 13 years ago nearly killed her but Mikayla survived - and she's made peace with her scars
THE CLAWS ARE OUT!
Things have grown frosty between the Beckhams and the Sussexes as Becks comes out in clear support of William