SUGAR MIKE missed out on a run in the Champagne Stakes last month but can gain compensation in the Handicap 2 and Lower feature on the Arima Race Club Day 14 card at Santa Rosa Park, Arima, today. Connections regard the four-year-old as a possible for the Indian Arrival Turf Handicap, and are using today’s 1200 metres dash as a pipe opener for the son of Ponche/No Sugar for month end’s longer grind. Grant Lourenco’s charge had campaigned at Calder Park Race Course before his arrival here last term.
And he has not disappointed connections, showing versatility first in the Stewards Cup, where he finished third behind Cash Wager and Napoleon and then over 2000 metres in the Gold Cup where he filled the runner-up spot behind Adawar. Sugar Mike was then given some time off and made his seasonal debut in March this year. He found none of the horses in that Allowance event had the class to match him, and won with a resolute run up the stretch where he picked off the majority of the field in the 1100 metres contest under apprentice Kumar Bissoon.
This victory had some controversy however, as he was later disqualified only to be reinstated following an appeal to the Trinidad and Tobago Racing Authority. Sugar Mike was then entered for the Union Park Turf Club Champagne Stakes last month but was withdrawn by connections who felt the turf track was too hard to risk their star. He faces off against four runners in today’s sprint, with the most serious rival being Gold Master whom he accounted for earlier this year.
Gold Master has come on since that defeat, having advertised that form by beating Sugar Mike’s stable companion Song Of Freedom last time, but should fight out the runner-up spot with Man Of Class. Royal Flush looks the one to be on in the 1750 metres handicap for three-year-olds. The Anthony Serville-trained gelding was given too much to do by apprentice rider Richard Parsad in the UPTC Easter Guineas, but still managed to finish runner-up to 12-length winner Top Of The Class.
His rider would have learnt by his mistake and should dictate the pace and stay out the trip stoutly. The West Indian-bred three-year-old maiden event is the teaser on the nine-race programme. Among the field are a number of improving individuals vying to gain points for the two remaining classics, which should guarantee a true run race. Loud Music has shown plenty of ability both in his races and at exercise gallops and it could pay to back the gelded son of Native Idol in the 1100 metres sprint. Dottie’s Way was ridden with too much confidence. He was swallowed up late and could get back to winning ways in the penultimate event of the day.
ALTHOUGH THE British and Foreign Commonwealth Office has issued an updated travel advisory warning its nationals that kidnappings are prevalent in Trinidad and Tobago, Minister of Culture and Tourism Pennelope Beckles maintains that this country is still one of the safest places to visit in the Caribbean.
Beckles was responding to questions from reporters on the advisory. She said she she would be meeting with National Security Minister Howard Chin Lee “to deal with these issues” and her Ministry “continued to be aggressive about it.” She described Operation Baghdad as “a specific activity that deals with the complaints over time and the last couple of weeks as it relates to Laventille, and concerns by residents and the community.” “There are things the government is doing to ensure that things are put in place where possible to reduce kidnappings,” Beckles said.
She also said the police presence in Laventille gave a measure of comfort to residents of the area and sent a message to the rest of the country that “the police were serious about reducing crime and kidnappings.” On government’s acquisition of Pigeon Point, Beckles said this was still in the preliminary stages. However, she said it was one which the people of Tobago felt strongly about and the parties involved — the Tobago House of Assembly (THA), Pigeon Point Management and the community — were trying to resolve the issue amicably.
THE STRIDES and progress achieved by Trinidad and Tobago in recent years in stability and fast economic growth have been hailed by an American entrepreneur.
Mike Schmidt, Vice-President (Operations) of Office 1 Superstores International did so on Wednesday at the official opening of the first Office 1 Superstore at 14-17 Victoria Square, Port-of-Spain. “In view of all the advantages offered by Trinidad, we specifically selected it to be a showcase and platform from which to expand into the neighbouring countries of the West Indies and Caribbean,” he said Schmidt said the store was created and financed by Trinidad entrepreneurs with close cooperation and know-how transferred from the United States. “Local entrepreneurs own it. It will create jobs and it will offer product variety and low prices to the Trinidad consumers who will now shop locally for hard to find speciality products rather than look for them overseas,” said Schmidt. He said his franchise will open more stores in the country as the market dictates.
Managing Director Jerome Marquez said Office 1 Superstore will be offering for sale, different brands and lines of office stationery, office furniture and office equipment. “What this would mean is that almost any and everything that individuals may need, would be readily available at Office 1 Superstore,” he said. Mayor of Port-of-Spain, Murchison Brown congratulated Marquez and his fellow investors for forging a strategic alliance with the international franchise holders. He told the audience that Trinidad and Tobago was well known for its good industrial climate, “and with the advance of globalisation, many North American, Canadian and European companies are showing keen interest in setting up business here.” The Mayor said he was always keen on new ideas and suggestions for improving the quality of life and service to burgesses. “We are attempting to reverse years of environmental neglect and deteriorating infrastructure. We know the turnaround is slow, but changes are already visible, and my Council is committed to the mission of making Port-of-Spain a modern municipal centre,” he said.
A TOBAGO man who has already spent over twice his sentence time in jail awaiting his appeal, lost it yesterday and was told the two-year sentence imposed on him by a magistrate will start from date of appeal March 25, 2003. This means that Sheldon Martin Roberts will end up spending more than three times his sentence in jail.
In this magisterial judgement, Justice Lionel Jones and Justice Rolston Nelson said they could not give Roberts credit for time already spent in jail. Their lordships have also stipulated that three years represent the ordinary delay between filing and the hearing of an appeal. But Roberts’ attorney Dana Seetahal said the case cries out for some relief of the injustice. She acknowledged that because of the law, the court could not back date the sentence from date of conviction, but recalled a case of related circumstances within the last few months in which Chief Justice Sat Sharma varied the sentence and placed the appellant, a woman, on a bond. Seetahal suggested that was an alternative that could have been elected to meet the justice of the case.
The court said in its nine-page judgement: “There was no appeal against sentence in the case, but attorney for the appellant has asked us to take into account the facts that the appellant has spent some 39 months in prison although his sentence was 24 months. This was because he had not been granted bail on conviction as is expected, and had not sought bail by applying to a judge in chambers as directed by the magistrate. Attorney has told us the reason for that is that he had no attorney at the time he filed notice of appeal.” “Although in ‘Michael Singh’ ( a similar case), in view of the lengthy delay of some five years before the appeal was heard, this Court reduced the sentence by two years, it was clearly recognised that three years represented the ordinary delay between the filing and the hearing of an appeal, and for which period the appellant could not be given credit.” Seetahal recalled making an application for leave to also appeal against sentence before their lordships in court, but was refused.
Roberts, who eventually got bail in September last year following Seetahal’s representation, is in Tobago and will have to surrender himself to police or be arrested by them and taken back to prison to serve his sentence. Roberts was not in court for his matter because he was not served with the summons to attend. He was convicted on June 17, 1999 of breaking and entering and indecently assaulting a girl and sentenced two years hard labour by Magistrate Marcia Ayers-Caesar. The incident took place in Roxborough, Tobago, on February 27, 1999. Senior State Counsel Trevor Ward represented the State.
Good all-round performances by skipper Adesh “Bun Bun” Deonarine (18 not out and two wickets for 18) and Stephen Katwaroo (12 and four for three) helped national Super League runner-up Clarke Rochard Govern-ment School to record the most impressive victory in the first round of ScotiaBank Primary Schools League nationwide round robin competition. With his offspin bowling, Deonarine recorded the first-ever hat-trick in the Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Board of Control KFC Under-13 Inter-Zone competition for South Zone versus South-East at the Penal PowerGen Sports Club ground last week.
On Wednesday last, he picked up two wickets for 18 runs from his six-over spell in the match played at the Calcutta Ground in Freeport. Leg spinner Katwaroo was the main destroyer as he mesmerised the Todd’s Road RC schoolboys who were bowled out for a meagre 71 off 26 overs. Medium pacer Ronald Ramdass took two for seven from five overs. Only Gerard Sanchez made an impression and got 17. Left-handed Deonarine has been in tremendous form this season and once again under his guidance with an undefeated 18 and Katwaroo’s 12, Clarke Rochard recorded a convincing seven-wicket victory with 19.1 overs to spare.
They raced to 73 for three off 10.5 overs and showed that they are ready to take on all-comers in their quest to wrest the title away from the neighbours. Teacher and Games Master Simboonath Beepat was delighted with the victory and expressed confidence that his boys are capable of going all the way to the top. In the other key match played at the Inshan Ali Park, Preysal, Clarke Rochard’s archrivals and neighbours — Rochard Douglas Presby-terian Primary surprisingly succumbed to Montrose Government by five wickets.
Batting first, the defending champions were restricted to 76 for eight wickets off their allotted 30 overs. Rickson Maniram chipped in with 20 while Jessie Flores claimed two wickets for seven runs.
Kurt Griffith slammed an un-beaten 26 and Yannick Ottley got 18, which spurred Montrose to an exciting five-wicket win over their much more established counterparts from Penal-Barrackpore district. Having made their name in football circles, Marac Baptist School showed that they want to be a contender for top honours in cricket as well. Playing at the National Cricket Centre, Balmain, Marac defeated Arima Boys RC by three wickets in a high-scoring and thrilling encounter. Enterprise Government also registered a three-wicket win over Mucurapo RC at the Aranguez Sports Club ground.
The first annual Tobago Schools Cycling Championships will be hosted by the Tobago House of Assembly Sports Division and The Nova Sports Group on July 3 from 10 am.
There will be a 9K race for primary school students and the secondary school students will ride a course twice that distance. Both races begin and end at Lush, Shirvan Road. The course is along Shirvan Road, Claude Noel Highway, Aukenskeoch Road, Mount Pleasant and back at Lush. The older cyclists will do two laps of the circuit and begin five minutes before the primary schoolers, who compete over one lap.
The vision of the patrons is to empower youths to maximise their potential through the sport of cycling and as a result the students will compete in ten categories; Boys and Girls Over and Under-10; 13 and Under; 16 and Under and 19 and Under. The first three finishers in all divisions will receive gold, silver and bronze medals with the four overall winners primary and secondary schools receiving trophies. Registration closes on June 26 and forms are available at Tobago schools.
CARIBBEAN road cycling champion Stephen Mangroo will leave shortly for a three-month competitive stint in Belgium, regarded as the mecca of the sport.
The Guyana-born naturalised Trinidad and Tobago citizen leaves on May 19 for his second spell at top Belgian racing team, Bouwelse Wielervrienden.
Last year Mangroo finished on the podium several times but was still trying to come to terms with the weather, the high level of competition and the testing cobbled streets of the Central European country. According to Ed Watson, Public Relations Officer of the TT Cycling Federation, Mangroo this time is much better prepared for the challenges. “He has been training hard for the last four months with a new programme tailored to suit the demanding high speeds and power climbs of the Belgium circuit. Stephen has also got himself a new carbon fibre bike, built by the great Belgium champion and five-time Tour de France winner Eddy Merckx. “It is the same brand of bike that just won the Tour of Flanders and the toughest race of all, the Paris-Roubiax called the ‘the hell of the north’,” said Watson yesterday.
The bike, designed by Merckx in Belgium and handcrafted in Italy using individual measurements of the cyclists handed in when the bikes are ordered six months in advance, cost more than US$7,500. Watson has high expectations for Mangroo and believes he can up his level of performance in the next three months and climb up to Category Three Trade status where he can be entitled for payment as a true professional on the European circuit. Mangroo will have all his needs taken care off in Belgium as he is afforded all courtesies including meals, accommodation and bike by the Bouwelse Wielervrienden. Watson said the new bike is certain to bring Mangroo’s equipment on par with his fellow competitors on the tough Belgian circuit.
He said Mangroo was introduced to the regional distributor of the Eddy Merckx bikes in Curacao when the big Amstel race was staged there last year. Since then he has been outfitted with the world class bike and Watson has since accepted a proposition to be the local agent for the much sought after equipment. Mangroo said yesterday he aims to do well and return for the National Championships which will gain him eligibility for the World “B” Championships in Switzerland in July. Among those who have made Mangroo’s stint in Europe a possibility are: Stephen Bobby Ramroop of Daisy’s Exclusive; Troy Sabeeney of Troy’s Auto and Millennium Car Rentals; George Janoura of Janouras Custom Design; Steve Castagne of M&M Insurance; Barry Edgill of Algico; Brian Abraham of the Fitness Centre. There were other private individuals who contributed but preferred to remain anonymous said Watson.
Despite a solid allround performance by Michael Brown (49 runs, two wickets for 19) of British American Aranguez, defending champions Clico Preysal advanced to the semi-finals of the Fruta Cricket Festival. Preysal defeated Aranguez by 37 runs in the 15-overs-a-side Group One second round preliminary match as Couva neighbours Caroni Wanderers kept alive their chance of seeking the other berth. The Sugar Boys defeated Queen’s Park Cricket Club by 19 runs and will meet Aranguez in the third round today.
Preysal will clash with Queen’s Park Oval who still have an outside chance but must beat the defending champions by a big margin which will give them a higher net run rate than Wanderers should they also emerge winner against the Aranguez boys. Joel Pamphille slammed two sixes and four fours as he compiled 38 while Rajendra Mangalie hit four fours in his 26. Skipper Avidesh Samaroo made 21 as Caroni Wanderers rattled up 129 for 8 off the allotted 15 overs. Richard Paty claimed three for 19.
In reply, the Parkites mustered 110 for 6 with Sanjeev Maharaj being the topscorer with 35 which included one six and three fours. Emerson Williams made 20 while Steve Roodal bagged two wickets for 10. In the second match, skipper Shazam Babwah hammered six sixes as he chalked up a breezy 42 while Andy Jackson smashed two sixes and two fours for 24 and Dinesh Ramdin one six in getting 20. Preysal totaled 154 for 7 off 15 overs. Browne took two for 19, Yusuf Ramlalan 2 for 20 and Crandon Royston 2 for 26. Aranguez replied with 117 for 6 off 15 overs. Browne struck one six and five fours in his topscore of 49 which together with his two wickets earned him “Man of the Match” award.
LEADERS JOE Public and South Starworld Strikers meet in a top-of-the-table clash as the Under-17 division of the 2003 TT Pro League continues today.
They face off at the Manny Ramjohn Stadium, Marabella from 10.30 am, following the matchup between their Under-15 units at 8.30 am. The “Eastern Lions” hammered CL Financial San Juan Jabloteh 5-2 in their first round clash and, on Saturday last, edged Defence Force 1-0 with a goal from the prolific Kernater Morris. After collecting full points when North East Stars defaulted their scheduled encounter, Starworld added another three points to their tally after whipping Jabloteh 2-0 last Saturday. Arima Fire will kick off their season with a matchup against W Connection at the Ato Boldon Stadium, Couva while, in the clash of the winless teams, Jabloteh will host Defence Force at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo. Jabloteh’s Under-15 squad, who lead the standings with a maximum six points, will be vying for their third straight victory against D/Force from 8.30 am, also at Mucurapo.
Standings – Under 15
|
P |
W |
D |
L |
F |
A |
Pts |
San Juan Jabloteh |
2 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
4 |
1 |
6 |
W Connection |
1 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
5 |
2 |
3 |
SWIF |
1 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
4 |
0 |
3 |
Starworld Strikers |
2 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
4 |
2 |
3 |
Defence Force |
2 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
3 |
6 |
1 |
Joe Public |
2 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
3 |
1 |
North East Stars |
2 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
7 |
0 |
Arima Fire |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
Under-17 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
P |
W |
D |
L |
F |
A |
Pts |
Joe Public |
2 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
6 |
2 |
6 |
Starworld Strikers |
2 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
5 |
0 |
6 |
SWIF |
1 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
6 |
0 |
3 |
W Connection |
1 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
3 |
0 |
3 |
San Juan Jabloteh |
2 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
2 |
7 |
0 |
North East Stars |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
3 |
0 |
Defence Force |
2 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
4 |
0 |
Arima Fire |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
KINGSTON: Fast bowl-er Jermaine Lawson, who set up West Indies’ Fourth Test win over Australia, is doubtful for the opening One-Day International today.
Left hand batsman Shivnarine Chanderpaul and first-choice wicket keeper Ridley Jacobs have already been ruled out of the seven-match series. Lawson took seven for 78 in Australia’s first innings in Antigua. West Indies scored the highest winning total ever of 418 for seven to avoid an unprecedented home whitewash. “Lawson tried to bowl a few deliveries in the nets but because of discomfort in the back he was released from bowling,” said West Indies coach Gus Logie. The Jamaican paceman, who was also reported to the International Cricket Council by the umpires because of doubts about his action, will undergo a further fitness test.
Chanderpaul will also miss the following series against Sri Lanka. He broke his middle finger catching Australia’s Adam Gilchrist in the Antigua Test before going on to score a vital 104. West Indies have yet to name a replacement for Chanderpaul, who usually moves up the order for One-Day Internationals. Jacobs will be replaced by Jamaican Carlton Baugh. Australia captain Ricky Ponting has shrugged off a virus complaint and is likely to play today. His team will have to make at least one change to their World Cup final winning team, as batsman Damien Martyn is out with a broken finger.
