ANYONE who has ever been to a racetrack to watch the races quickly becomes familiar with the routine before the gates are opened and the horses engage in competition.

The horses are saddled, then they move to the Parade Ring. After being scrutinised in the Parade Ring by punters, they enter the racetrack proper to parade in front of the stands. The jockeys then take their mounts down to the starting gates and when the starter is ready, the horses are put into the gates by members of the starting gates. Once settled, the starter flies the gates and off they go.

It looks as easy as one, two, three and most people take it for granted, but the work of a starter and the starting gate crew is not an easy one — usually consisting of long hours.

The more races on the day means more work for the starting gate crew. However, James Morrison, who has been a member of that crew for many years at Caymanas Park, said that when it comes to the Diamond Mile Race Day, nothing else matters.

“The Diamond Mile is not really more difficult than other race days. It is just that it is more races on the day, but we’ve worked it out to overcome any real difficulty.

“Before the Diamond Mile we had the Jamaica Derby to deal with a 12-race card, but the Diamond Mile Race Day is 14 races, so we just have to start earlier with more work to do.

“Diamond Mile Day is a special race day and our horse handling has to be on spot,” Morrison said.

Morrison strongly believes that the Diamond Mile does wonders for the racing industry.

“Diamond Mile is the biggest and richest event run at Caymanas Park and has a purse that is equal to that offered by the top Caribbean races.

“I think [it] is a treat for racegoers as the race attracts and features the best horses in training going over the sprint distance of eight furlongs, and should the field run up to expectation, it is always a galloping spectacle of speed to enjoy,” he said.

Morrison then shared how he started out with the starting gate crew.

“I started about 30 years ago as a groom at the Kenneth Mattis stables. From there I went to trainer “Billy” Williams and I was very good with horses, and from there I went to the gates.

“They (the promoting company) at the time were looking for a gate handler and I was approached with the idea that I would do well with that job having been around horses for so long, and I was given the chance and I have been in the job since and I thoroughly enjoy what I do as a gate handler,” Morrison ended.