South African racing has reached a quiet but meaningful milestone. For the first time since the concept was first raised with Breeders’ Cup officials in 2006 and formally implemented some years later, the country now boasts three direct Breeders’ Cup Challenge opportunities on its calendar.

The major breakthrough comes with the inclusion of the Cape Flying Championship, which joins the Breeders’ Cup Challenge series as South Africa’s first-ever sprint race to offer a pathway to the global championship meeting. It is a significant vote of confidence in local speed talent and places the Cape Flying alongside some of the most established prep races worldwide.

That recognition has already had an impact. The powerful Peter stable has elected to travel to Cape Town with its champion sprinter Buffalo Storm Cody, already a Grade 1 winner of the Mercury Sprint, in what would once have seemed an unlikely raid. His presence alone underlines the elevated status the race now carries.

The King’s Plate, South Africa’s premier mile, provides the second Breeders’ Cup opportunity. This year’s renewal is built around Cape Guineas winner Jan Van Goyen, who heads the betting and shoulders the expectations that come with elite three-year-old mile form.

The third qualifying race is the Paddock Stakes over 1800m for fillies and mares, and it has a clear centerpiece. Double Grand Slam, officially rated 122, is the highest-rated horse in the field and the ruling favorite. Her proven weight-for-age credentials make her the benchmark, even as she faces a genuine challenge from the younger brigade, led by the progressive three-year-old filly Reet Petite.

Together, the three races represent more than just additional opportunities. They mark a shift in South Africa’s position on the global racing map. The Breeders’ Cup door is no longer being knocked on—it is open, and South African racing is beginning to step confidently through it.

Cape Flying Championship has direct entry to the Prevagen Turf Sprint, the Paddock Stakes into the Maker's Mark Filly & Mare Turf whilst the King's Plate gets an entry into the FanDuel Mile.