Champagne Stakes to be race of Caribbean

Arima Race Club president Gerard Ferreira expressed the hope that the race will be a rival to the Sandy Lane Barbados Gold Cup.

The racing boss said yesterday, he was “particularly excited that Republic Bank were coming back as sponsors.”

Ferreira said he did some research and saw the bank was the only sponsors of a 1 1/2 mile race in Trinidad.

He said it was Republic Bank who sponsored the establishment of a turf course here making Trinidad the only racing plant in the Caribbean with both a sand and turf track.

And he expressed the hope to have more turf racing at Santa Rosa Park, Arima, both in the dry and wet season.

Earlier, Republic Bank executive director Nigel Baptiste retraced the 40-year-old history of his bank’s association with horse racing in Trinidad and Tobago.

And he pointed out Republic was in the past associated with the President’s Cup and Turf Classic. And the establishment of the turf track in 2002. He said Republic Bank are sponsoring the three feature races on Easter Monday, the Champagne Stakes with a purse of $100,000, the Flamingo Stakes and Ibis Stakes with purse of $50,000 each. Apart from this, Republic Bank will give prizes to the owner, trainer, jockey and groom of winning horses in the feature races and the owner of the winners of the seven other races.

Prizes will also be given to the groom of the best turned out horse in each of the 10 races, the top jockey and trainer of the day (wins) and the jockey adjudged to have ridden the best race.

There will be prizes for the ”most eye-catching Easter bonnet”, while there will be a “lucky loser” competition for which Republic Bank is offering an all-expenses paid trip for two to the Breeders Cup at Churchill Downs, Kentucky, on November 4.

This apart, there will be the regular lucky loser draw on Easter Monday.

There will be a $500 award to the writer of the best racing story, another $500 to the photographer taking the best picture and $500 to the tipster of the day.

Here are the draw for the three feature races:

Republic Bank Champagne Stakes: 1. LIT D’AMOUR; 2. PEACE OFFERING; 3. SUAVE RUNNER; 4. MISS LOVER LOVER; 5. CROWN POINT; 6. INVINCIBLITY; 7. OUTSWINGER; 8. CHIEF COMMANDER; 9. TOP OF THE CLASS; 10. ICE TIMBER; 11. ROYAL MISS.

Republic Bank Flamingo Stakes: 1. HARBOUR MASTER; 2. SING THE BLUES; 3. MONEY UP FRONT; 4. ADIOS AMIGOS; 5. JACOBITE; 6. SARA’S MUSIC; 7. WINDJAMMER; 8. THE NEGOTIATOR; 9. BLUFF BID; 10. APOCALYPSE.

Republkic Bank Ibis Stakes: 1. BELLISIMO; 2. ANGEL OF MUSIC; 3. MAGIC MOMENTS; 4. SKY HIGH; 5. HOPE FOR PEACE; 6. FEELIKEMAKINLUV; 7. MYSTERY GIRL; 8. RHYTHM OF LIFE; 9. GREEK PRINCESS; 10. ROADRUNNER; 11. READY OR NOT.