By Emmerson Campbell
The crème de le crème of the nation’s thoroughbreds along with foreign horses will vie for over $30m in cash and other prizes when Guyana’s premier horse racing event, the Guyana Cup is staged today at the Port Mourant Turf Club.
Top local jockeys along with jockeys from Canada, Trinidad, Jamaica and the USA will transform the Turf Club into a speedway as they compete for the largest payout in local horse race history.
According to the event’s coordinator Melissa Chattergoon, the programme has been revised to 10 races with the B and Lower Class race being the feature event for this year’s sixth annual Guyana Cup.
Over $5.6M is at stake with the winner taking home $3M and the Guyana Cup trophy. The second place winner will pocket $1.5M, while the third and fourth places finishers will receive $750,000 and $375,000 respectively.
In the co-feature Three-year-old event for horses bred and born in Guyana and the West Indies, the winner is set to gallop away with $2M, while $1M will be available for the second place finisher. The third and fourth place winners will take home $500,000 and $250,000 respectively.
The other million dollar race is the Two-year-old horses bred and born in Guyana and the West Indies. The winner of that race will collect $1M, while the winners’ money for the second, third and fourth place finishers are set at $500,000, $250,000 and $125,000.
Other races carded for the day are the E and Lower (1st $900,000, 2nd $450,000, 3rd $225,000, 4th $112,500), G and Lower (1st $700,000, 2nd $350,000, 3rd $175,000, 4th $87,500), Two-year-old for horses Bred and Born in Guyana (1st $500,000, 2nd $250,000, 3rd $125,000, 4th $62,500), H and Lower (1st $400,000, 2nd $200,000, 3rd $100,000, 4th $50,500), I and Lower (1st $300,000, 2nd $150,000, 3rd $75,000, 4th $37,500), G3 and Lower (1st $500,000, 2nd $250,000, 3rd $125,000, 4th $62,500) and J,K,L and Lower categories (1st $200,000, 2nd $100,000, 3rd $50,000, 4th $25,000).
Some of the horses entered in the Cup are Grande Roja, Marathon Man ,Got to Go, Home Bush Baby, Who’s on the case, Appealing Harvest, Top Of The Line, Captain Crook, Sabrina Joy, Big Impact, Serenity, Pride & Joy, Rosetta, I want Revenge, Princess Alisha, Its My Turn, Jipsy Jet, Another Jet, Prospector’s Pride, Blame the Jockey, She’s So Special, Wicked Intention, De Gumo, Quincy, Dream Girl, Silent Night, Easy to Win, Lucky Gold, Dream Boy, Hard Runnings, Maracas Star, RJ Express, Super Bowl, Stormy Lass
Maya, D’Girls dem Sugar ,The Bailiff, Ameera’s Joy, Gold Rush, Jipsey Rose, Windy War, Feel like Gold and Perfect Circle
The event runs off at 11:30hrs and admission fee is $2,000, Vehicles: $2,000 and kids eight & under will be admitted free. All tickets will be sold at the gate. There will be a well stocked bar with food and beverages while entertainment will be provided by Slingerz Family.
Sponsors for the event include Jumbo Jet Auto Sales, Digicel, Hand in Hand and several other major companies.
