Antigua Turf Club Promises Exciting Pre-Carnival Race Meet

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Friday, 13 July 2012 02:30

By caribarena news

Antigua St. John’s - Six races are on the cards for this Sunday, for what Antigua Turf Club President Neil Cochrane says will be the best of the comeback meets since horse racing returned to the Cassada Gardens track in April.

The Pre-Carnival derby will be a local affair, owing to a scheduling conflict with respected Kittitian horse trainer and horse owner Arthur Sharpe.
 
“Unfortunately, Arthur’s trip to Antigua with his horses has been postponed. We were looking forward to settling a few scores, this Sunday, after we lost on his turf during several meets. We have, however, been assured that he will come for another race meet in the not-too-distant future,” Cochrane said.
 
The Antigua Turf Club President is confident that the local derby and the entertainment, featuring Carnival artistes, will make for an exciting event. The two main races on Sunday will be the Mares and Fillies Super Sprint and the Colts and Gildings Challenge.
 
In the first race, the best female horses in the country will race over five-and-a-half furlongs. The contenders are Mission’s Accomplished out of Gully Side Stables; Lucinda, Tight, Tight, Tight out of Lyon’s Stables; Parham Pride from White and Nice Stables; Jumma Girl from Simply Smooth Stables; and The Answer from Chief Rocker Stables.
 
The colts and gildings will race over seven-and-a-half furlongs. That race will feature the top three horses - In God’s Grace from Calibi Stables; Jack Idle out of Lyon’s Stables; and the Chosen One from Chief Rocker Stables.
 
The other races are the G2 and lower over four-and-a-half furlongs; E1 and lower over six furlongs; C2 and lower over seven furlongs; and A and lower over six furlongs.
 

“This is going to be the best race meet since we returned,” Cochrane said. “The weather should be fantastic, the races will be exciting, we will have pari-mutuel betting, and the entertainment is going to great.”
 
Renegade Sounds and Wardadli Souljahs, as well as soca artistes Claudette “CP” Peters and Tian Winter are booked to move the crowd. The Antigua Turf Club also has an open invitation for Carnival contenders, from the soca and calypso arenas, who want to showcase their music to signal their interest.
 
In addition to the Ministry of Public Works, The Ministry of Sports and the Ministry of Finance, Cochrane also made special mention of some of their key corporate partners including Dew’s lumber and Hardware, HB Heavy Equipment and Truck Services, Cool and Smooth, Jack Idle and Company, Wadadli Events Services, Occasions Party Rentals, West Indies Oil Company, The Barbuda Council, Jerome A Roberts Ltd, and Island Fence and Hardware. According to Cochrane “these companies were unwavering in their support of our efforts to revive horse racing in Antigua.”
 
The gates open at noon, and the first race is at 2:30 pm. Admission is $15 for adults and $10 for children.
 

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