Races on the turf will go on Monday

RACES carded for the turf course on Guineas Day, Arima Race Club Day 12 at Santa Rosa Park, on Monday, will be run off as planned.

This was the firm comittment given by  ARC chief executive officer, Persad Rooplal yesterday. “There is no change to the decision taken on Tuesday,” stated Rooplal. “We are still firm that we are racing on the turf.” The decision referred to by Rooplal was regarding clearance given to racing on the turf, was made by the ARC after a party comprising major players in the racing industry inspected the course. This team of inspectors walked the grass course before giving the ARC their opinion to go ahead with the races on the inner circuit, was made up of members of the Jockeys Association, Racehorse Trainers Association, and  Racehorse Owners Association, and also included trainer John O’Brien, president of the ARC, Rooplal and Roy Podmore, a raceday steward.

But fears that the six turf races on the 11-race programme might be switched to the main course surfaced yesterday, after owners of two horses listed to race in the Union Park Turf Club Champagne Stakes, the supporting event to the Easter Guineas on the holiday card, indicated their intention to withdraw from racing on the turf if ground conditions do not change. At the draw for post positions on Wednesday at the sponsors’ Off Track Betting outlet in Marabella, owners Roland Khan and Mike Samlalsingh promised to keep the Champagne “big two” Adawar and Sugar Mike indoors, if the ground conditions do not improve.

They reasoned their expensive runners will be at risk of injury on the bone- hard surface currently being experienced at racing headquarters because of the long drought. But both owners expressed an inclination to racing their horses in the graded event worth $75,000 in prize money, if it is shifted to the sand course. Their choice to race on the main course only, was a talking point at the race track in Arima yesterday, where opinions were divided. While some saw their point and were in favour of the switch, other owners with runners in the 1600 metres turf event expressed the belief it will be an injustice to take the race off the course it was intended for.  Some trainers with runners in other events framed for the grass, have signalled their intentions to withdraw all their runners, as a mark of protest  if the ARC decides to switch these races to the main sand track.