KINGSTON, Jamaica — Racehorse trainer Anthony Kirlew, whose charges once included the highly rated Missmyrtleboyrichie, was shot and killed on the premises of Caymanas Park, St Catherine, by gunmen this morning.

The Jamaica Observer understands that Kirlew, 50, who has stopped training for sometime, returned to the track this morning to assist his younger brother, Lorne, when he was confronted by gunmen and shot at about 10:00am.

Lorne, who graduated from the Jamaica Racing Commission’s trainers’ course last September, now trains leading sprinters, Missmyrtleboyrichie and Richieshappynotion.

The St Catherine Major Investigation Task Force is probing the murder, which, it is reported, occurred in the stable area of the Caymanas Park track.

Kirlew is the third trainer killed at Caymanas Park since 2004. Trainer Howard Phillipps was shot dead by a lone gunman in the confines of his stable on Saturday February 7, 2004, shortly before the start of the day’s race meet. The gunman on that occasion made good his escape over the fence.

Donovan Bruce was shot dead by two gunmen inside his stable on November 7, 2009. He was shot in the head three times and also in the abdomen by the gunman, who scaled the fence to gain access to his stable and escaped using the same route. Ironically, when Bruce was shot, it was Anthony Kirlew who assisted the fallen horseman and rushed him to the Spanish Town Hospital, where he died while undergoing surgery.