THE Vodacom Durban July race meeting that normally attracts a full house of 50 000 spectators, will be run in front of an empty grandstand this year.
Given the current regulations governing Alert Level 3 of the coronavirus lockdown, as well as the month delay in the start of the three-month South African Champion Season, the Vodacom Durban July has been pushed back and is now scheduled to be run on Saturday, July 25.
But as the lockdown regulations are likely to be in force for the foreseeable future, all race meetings, including the Vodacom Durban July, will be run in front of empty grandstands with only staff and officials essential to the running of the race meeting, allowed on course.
The Gold Cup meeting, usually the last major race meeting of the season, will now be run on August 29, by which time officials are hoping that the lockdown regulations will have been eased to a certain extent and the some general public may be allowed back on the race course.
Should that be the case, the Gold Cup meeting will be billed as the race meeting of the year.