Trainer claims $7,500 prize in race switch

TRAINER Juan Mosca has lodged an appeal with the Trinidad and Tobago Racing Authority against the decision of the Arima Race Club to cancel turf races on their Day 24 card at Santa Rosa Park, Arima, on Saturday.

And, he is claiming the $7,500 winner’s purse in the event for which his runner Small Axe was entered. Mosca  paid the $500 fee yesterday to file his appeal. In his letter of protest, Mosca is claiming that the ARC breached Section 15 of the Provisional Programme and did not implement proper procedure before deciding to switch four races on the day’s 10-race programme from the turf course to the main prepared track. The Rule under which Mosca is basing his protest states.  The deadline for moving a race from the turf to the main course must be five hours prior to the post time of the race. And in the case of an emergency situation, the stewards must have the track surface inspected. Following same, should they consider that in the best interest of racing the race be moved from the turf to the main track, they should so advise immediately and cause an announcement to be made over the public address system.

The first event on the turf on Saturday was the third race of the day and had a scheduled post time of  1.45 pm. Mosca said he understood ARC  track and paddock manager Stephen Jardim and jockeys Ricardo Jadoo and Haniff Emamalie did an examination of the course early in the morning. And based on their findings, the decision not to race on the turf was taken. Mosca claimed the stewards erred and  claimed the proper procedure was not followed. A follow-up examination by an inspection team comprising a steward, jockey, trainer, track and paddock manager and a member of the ARC management committee was necessary before such a decision could be made, he said. Mosca, who had Small Axe entered  in the first of the quartet of turf races, was peeved that he waited for three months to have a race framed on the turf for his charge. He is claiming the $7,500 first prize  in the 1100-metres event..

Mosca also said he made it his duty to inspect the course, and Racehorse Trainers’ Association president Shaffique Khan was of the opinion the track was perfect for racing. He said: “When rain falls, races are removed to the main course because the track is deemed slippery. When it is dry, it is too hard and dusty, and when it is perfect another excuse is found.”. He then asked: “What is the ideal condition for having races on the grass course? Whenever you have a horse that likes turf it is best to give it away.”