Veteran jockey Andrew Fortune made a dramatic comeback by winning the World Sports Betting Cape Town Met on See It Again at Hollywood Bets Kenilworth Racecourse. The victory highlights the horse racing industry's efforts to sustain itself amid the rise of online gambling through sponsorships, syndicates, and global betting pools. Industry leaders emphasize cooperation among betting rivals to keep the sport viable.
On January 31, 2026, Andrew Fortune, a recovering addict and veteran jockey, rode See It Again to an unexpected victory in the grade one World Sports Betting Cape Town Met at Hollywood Bets Kenilworth Racecourse in Cape Town. The win, described by a commentator as a script no one could write better, marked Fortune's final ride and a poignant moment for both horse and rider nearing the end of their careers.
Fortune reflected on his journey, stating, “I came from addiction. […] Nobody wanted me. […] And here I stand on the biggest stage.” He added, “But it’s amazing how his name is See It Again. Do you know what I mean? And I keep coming back and coming back… but this is my last ride and this was the most amazing ride.”
The event underscores broader challenges in horse racing as online gambling surges. According to the Softswiss 2026 iGaming trend report, mobile-first crash games and instant-win slots are projected to capture 67% of the online market by 2029. Traditional tote turnover is declining year-on-year, prompting innovations like Race Coast, a new entity formed by merging Cape Racing and KwaZulu-Natal’s Golden Circle.
Race Coast is joining the World Pool, a global liquidity hub run by the Hong Kong Jockey Club, to stabilize local dividends against large international bets. Stephen Marshall, marketing head at Race Coast, noted the role of sponsors: “Hollywood Bets have come in and invested an incredible amount of money to sustain it [the business of horse racing]. Without their investment, these events [WSB Cape Town Met] wouldn’t be on. That’s the brutal truth.”
Interestingly, rivals like World Sports Betting and Betway sponsor races at Hollywoodbets venues, fostering mutual respect. Marshall explained, “There’s a mutual respect.” To broaden access, Race Coast promotes syndicates and fractional ownership, with Marshall sharing, “I’ve been part of some syndicates. In your heart, you own that horse and you’re shouting it home as loud as if you owned the whole thing.”
At the elite level, See It Again was bred at Drakenstein Stud Farm, owned by Gaynor Rupert, which earned R40 million in the 2024/25 season. Trainer Justin Snaith credits success to “buying from the right farm,” linking top breeders like Drakenstein with stables like Snaith Racing and owners such as Nick Jonsson. The 2025 Cape Premier Yearling Sale saw average prices of R760,000, with top Drakenstein lots reaching R2 million.
Race Coast is also repurposing racecourses as seven-day conferencing venues and selling broadcast rights to Australia and the UK to diversify revenue, all while relying on race day spectacles to draw crowds and bets.
