I thank God every year for the L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate – a place where I can truly be myself in the comfort of like-minded people who understand the difference between being classy and being clever. A place where I feel protected from the riff-raff and can discuss the latest issue of Vanity Fair with those who understand that it really is not a women’s fashion magazine.

Am I biased because our family Bastide in Provence is only a few town’s away from the town of Lourmarin, a town that lends it’s name to the wine brand behind the Queen’s Plate? Maybe…

But the fact remains – to put the Queen’s Plate in the same category and to compare it to other horse races (if indeed there were others?) is laughable. The Queen’s Plate is not Cape Town’s horse race of the year, The Queen’s Plate is South Africa’s SOCIAL EVENT of the year.

It, quite simply, does not get better than this.

Ladies and Gentlemen, the 149th running of the L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate will be taking place on January the 9th, 2010, at Kenilworth Race Course for a purse of R1 million. I will be there, and so will South Africa’s finest.

A DAY AT THE RACES

The prestigious and undoubtedly the most stylish event on the Cape Town racing and social calendar, the L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate, will be run for the 149th time at Kenilworth race course on January 9, 2010, for a purse of R1 million.

One of South Africa’s premier horse races over 1600m and a weight-for-age contest in line with the world’s most renowned Grade 1 events, the historic L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate was first held in 1861 in honour of Queen Victoria. When she died, the race became the King’s Plate up until the accession of Queen Elizabeth II to the throne in 1953. Today it is a chic and fashionable affair which brings the country’s finest thoroughbred horses onto centre stage and surrounds them with haute couture fashion, vintage cars and fine wines.

The 149th running of the L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate
January 9, 2010 – Kenilworth Race Course

The L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate is a day steeped in elegance and punters are requested to dress in keeping with the blue and white dress code, which is carried through to the décor in the VIP village and style lounges. For ladies this means floaty, summery frocks in pearl, alabaster and ivory with large hats to shield their delicate skin from the harsh South African sun. Gentlemen don lightweight summer suits with ties in shades of sapphire, cornflower, turquoise, navy, sky, cobalt and powder blue. Effort will be rewarded with prizes for the best dressed couple who have embodied the sophistication of the L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate.

In the style lounges, guests will be accommodated in comfort and luxury in a variety of marquees, with a dazzling array of gourmet food stalls, plentiful totes for placing bets, classy wine and champagne bars, and a specially constructed deck for an uninterrupted view of their winning horse romping home. Later, as the sun dips behind the mountain and the last race is run, some of the country’s best musicians and DJs will take to the stage to entertain the crowds till late.

Like last year, car enthusiasts can look forward to a host of beautiful, classic vintage cars, which will be on display throughout the day.

Tickets: Entrance to the style lounges and VIP village is R250 excluding food and drink, and tickets are available at Computicket. A wide range of delicious food and beverages will be on sale there.

Date / Time: 9 January, 2010 from 11h00 until 23h00

Dress code: Strictly Blue and White

For more information go to www.lqp.co.za

I trust I will be seeing you there?

Until then, CLICK HERE for some pics from last year’s Queen’s Plate, including pics of Minki van der Westhuizen, Trcy McGregor, Lisa Cowley, Michelle Cowley, Lyndall Jarvis, Schalk Burger, Jo-Ann Strauss and more!

And EVEN MORE here!