The South African racing fraternity was rocked by the news on 12 April 1988 of a plane crash took the lives of 13 jockeys, a trainer, 3 racing officials and the crew. The Hennenman Memorial Race Day commemorates the tragedy.

This year the Princess of Monaco, Princess Charlene, a former South African swimmer, laid a wreath at the memorial last week during her raceday. The memorial day is officially marked at today's meeting in Johannesburg.

The jockeys who perished in the crash included Danny Lombard, John McMurtry, Mark Nel, Michael Coetzee, Simon Rahilly, Keith Basel, Lawrence Riley, Johannes Fourie, Warren Baillie, Bennie de Wet, Greg Holme, Douglas Roper and Gordon Sterley.

Turffontein's card commemorates the deceased with races named after them.