by Thinus Ferreira
This coming Saturday's 2021 Vodacom Durban July horse racing day will continue on 3 July and go ahead but without any attendance or crowds after the South African government moved the country to an adjusted Level 4 lockdown because of the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.
With a dramatic surge in the number of Covid-19 cases and deaths especially as the more contagious Delta-variant of the coronavirus has taken hold in especially the Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal provinces, South African president Cyril Ramaphosa announced a move back to adjusted Level 4 lockdown regulations until at least Sunday 11 July.
According to the new Level 4 lockdown regulations, all gatherings are prohibited. The Vodacom Durban July event planned for this coming Saturday at the Greyville Racecourse will however go ahead.
The "attendance at all race meetings in KwaZulu-Natal, from today until further notice, will be limited to essential services personnel: trainers, jockeys, grooms, National Horseracing Authority staff and Gold Circle employees required to ensure each race meeting can proceed," says Gold Circle in a statement.
"No owners, Gold Circle members or box/suite holders will be permitted access to either Hollywoodbets Greyville or Hollywoodbets Scottsville until further notice."
Saturday's 2021 Vodacom Durban July race meeting will be broadcast on television on Tellytrack (DStv 249), as well as on MultiChoice's SuperSport 4 (DStv 204) between 13:00 and 16:00.
The first horse race will take place on Saturday at 11.15 with the Vodacom Durban July run at 15:00.
