The Summer Cup · Turffontein
Joburg's best end of year party.
The Highveld's most prestigious Grade 1 handicap. Run at Turffontein every November. Proudly sponsored by Betway since 2022.
The race.
Joburg’s oldest Grade 1. One of the country’s richest.
The Summer Cup is the centrepiece of the South African spring racing calendar — a Grade 1 handicap over 2,000 metres on the Turffontein Standside track. A stake cheque of six million rand, a field of up to twenty runners, and a legacy that dates back to 1887. It is the day that Johannesburg comes racing, and where history is written at the finish line.
The race at a glance
Key facts on the Summer Cup.
Classification
Handicap, open to three-year-olds and up.
Turffontein Standside Track
Annual running
The defining meeting of the Highveld spring.
Stake cheque
One of the richest handicaps on the South African calendar.
The next running
The Betway Summer Cup.
The 2025 renewal drew a full field of Grade 1 contenders over Turffontein's Standside Track. The next running is scheduled for 28 November 2026. Please watch the news pages for details on hospitality bookings.
Heritage
A race as old as Johannesburg.
The Summer Cup has been a fixture on the Johannesburg calendar since 1887 — and it is one of the oldest Grade 1 handicaps in South Africa. It has been claimed by some of the country's finest turf champions through the years, and it remains the race that defines the Highveld season. Run on Turffontein's Standside Track over 2,000 metres, the courage required for the testing climb from the 1,200-metre mark is where champions are decided.
Turffontein racecourseA day at the Summer Cup.
What to expect on the day.
Spring in the city
Hats, champagne and the finest crowd of the Johannesburg sporting year. The Summer Cup dresses the capital for a day at the races.
Twenty runners, one big question
A handicap field of up to twenty draws the Grade 1's stiffest weights. The long climb from the 1,200-metre mark tends to settle it.
Suites and the rail
Private suites, grandstand tables and paddock access for owners, members, sponsors and guests on the busiest raceday of the year.
Watch and bet
Follow the race, place a bet.
Catch live coverage of the Summer Cup via Channel 240 or the Racing Today website and App. We offer Tote betting on the Summer Cup through our official totalisator partner TAB.co.za. Players must be 18 or older.
Bet on TAB.co.zaPlanning your Summer Cup.
Everything you need for the day.
Turffontein
South Africa's oldest active racecourse. Address, directions, parking and the full venue guide.
Turffontein →What's on
The full 4Racing calendar, with every flagship meeting in context.
See the calendar →Racedays
The signature meetings that define the South African racing year.
Feature racedays →Be there
Book the Summer Cup.
For raceday hospitality, private suites, tables and bespoke group experiences at the Summer Cup, please contact our reservations team.
Hospitality enquiries