When you refer to “going to the races” in Johannesburg, you often mean spending the day watching horses compete at the Turffontein race Course, one of the first horse racing facilities in South Africa, which was founded in 1887. A day at the races is often a really pleasurable experience – provided you don’t lose too much after hedging your bets. Turffontein, located in the southern suburbs of Johannesburg, is simple to get from the M2 highway, has lots of parking, and some nice food to boot.
The layout of the track at Turffontein is as follows: the 1200-meter straight course connects to the 800-meter round circuit. Due to a continuous ascent from roughly 1200m to the final bend, which is considered one of the stiffest tracks in the nation, horses competing from well off the pace actually hold every opportunity.
After the Newmarket Racecourse in Johannesburg was sold to local businesspeople in early 2007, Turffontein also serves as a night racing venue. Turffontein has since undergone extensive renovations, including the addition of floodlights, updating the trackside amenities, and opening a sports bar.
South Africa has a large fan base for horse racing, which dates back to 1797. The first race club meeting that was ever officially recorded was in 1802. The Summer Cup, one of the three major racing occasions in the nation (the others being the J&B Met in Cape Town and the Durban July), is held at Turffontein.