According to race organizer Colin Elcock, all systems are in place for Sunday’s Banks DIH Limited sponsored race meet at the Ryan Crawford Memorial Turf Club where over $2M in prizes will be up for grabs.
“For me to say that I am not pleased with the way preparations and entries are going for this meet would be a big understatement. There are over 22 entries for one race alone whilst the track is in impeccable condition,” Elcock told Stabroek Sport.
He added : “There has not been much rain lately but there were some slight early morning drizzles which is needed for the sand-based track that is also known as the Billiards Table of horse racing tracks here in Guyana.”
According to Elcock, there will be four American–bred horses in the line-up for the top prize of $250,000 in the B and Lower Class feature event which is being sponsored by beverage giants Banks DIH Limited and covers a distance of 1200 meters.
Annie’s Playmate, Sweet Carmel, Sweet Southern Charm and Finally Jade are all in the line-up to face locals Delmur Gold, Mystery Public, Jumbo Joy and Sir Balajee among others in this fixture which is one of three feature events for the day.
In the D and Lower Class race another feature event, there is a $200,000 first prize and horses such as Varadero, Face the Music, Laura Lee in Flight and The Gap will be competing for the purse.
But, according to Elcock, the match-up between Coconut Boy, who is making a comeback after a six-month lay off due to injury and Trinidad and Tobago’s La Bayomosa should be an exciting one in the three-year-olds Open event.
The last time the two met, Coconut Boy, who was the local champion horse for 2008 prior to his injury had to pull out all stops to hold off the challenge of La Bayomosa in a two-year-old event.
But these two will have to look out for Night Crescendo and Lady of My Dreams who are both from T&T, as well as Over the Mat and Pixie Fire of Guyana.
All in all, an exciting day of racing is planned with horse racing fans expected to get their money’s worth in action from the first to the last race.