Sporting activities were given the green light to resume earlier this month and today, Horse Racing executives will make their best pitch to the Minister of Health, Dr. Frank Anthony for its resumption.
If discussions are favourable, December could regally usher in the return of ‘The Sport of Kings’. The Kennard Memorial Boxing Day Meet has been a staple over the decades in Guyana.
This is according to Honorary President of the Kennard Memorial Turf Club, Cecil Kennard.
Kennard told this publication yesterday that President of the Club, Dennis Deoroop will be responsible for pitching the sport’s return to Dr. Anthony.
Sports like cricket, track and field and cycling have all made a successful return to competition and the horse racing fraternity “which has suffered due to the coronavirus” said Kennard will be hoping for a positive restart as well.
Horse racing elsewhere around the globe made a restart as early as June and the local fraternity will be looking at best practices to pitch to the minister.
How would racing work?
Firstly, racing in Guyana will more than likely occur behind closed doors for the foreseeable future.
Further, the COVID-19 Task Force and the Ministry of Health will have to announce a number of guidelines and operating procedures that will have to be adhered to until further notice. In the early stages of resumption, attendance at the turf clubs would be limited to the minimum number of personnel essential to running the race meet.
This will include officials, medical personnel, stewards, jockeys and a handful of members of the media.
Subsequently, they will have their temperatures recorded and will have to adhere to strict social distancing guidelines, which includes face masks being worn at all times and some members, including grooms, wearing personal protective equipment. Stabroek Sport will keep readers updated as events unfold.
