PHUMELELA has announced its association with Samsung through the sponsorship of the R1.5-million SA Derby by Samsung Business.

The SA Derby powered by Samsung Business will be run on Champions Day at Turffontein on Saturday 30 April. The race is the final and toughest leg of the SASCOC SA Triple Crown for three-year-olds and is run over the marathon distance of 2450m.

Antony le Roux of Samsung Business Solutions said: “We are very excited about our association with Phumelela in support of SASCOC through the SA Derby. It is a quality race of endurance and pace, which personifies Samsung’s Business Solutions.”

Rian du Plessis, Group CEO of Phumelela, said: “We welcome Samsung Business to our family and wish them every success with the SA Derby. The sport of horseracing spans the entire spectrum of LSMs and sponsorship of the SA Derby presents Samsung Business with an ideal opportunity to communicate with horseracing’s many participants.”

The SA Derby is one of the oldest and most distinguished races on the South African racing calendar. It was first run in 1894 and the venue and distance has remained unchanged through the decade. Past winners are among many of the most famous names in South African horseracing history like; Lenin, Home Guard, Elevation and Horse Chestnut.

Last year’s race was won by Irish Flame, who went on to finish a close second in the Durban July before competing in the recent Dubai International Racing Carnival.

The Derby is one of nine feature races to be run on Champions Day, which is Africa’s richest raceday.

Final entries for the SA Derby close on 13 April and the final field will be declared on Wednesday 20 April.