IAN Parsard, last year’s most improved trainer, says his top two three-year-old geldings Mahogany and Double Crown will be ready for competitive racing, especially for the delayed 2020 Classics campaign when horse racing restarts at Caymanas Park.

Supreme Ventures Racing and Entertainment Limited (SVREL), the sole promoter of local thoroughbred racing in the island, was forced to cease operations indefinitely on March 21 due to the spread of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

But horses are still exercising in the mornings, as participants adhere to social distancing and other required public health protocols to mitigate against the spread of the highly contagious disease.

And with the Government taking steps to gradually reopen the economy, the promoters recently issued a provisional 10-race day projection in preparation for the return of races at Caymanas Park. The season’s first two Classic races – 1000 and 2000 Guineas – are scheduled to take place on the ninth and 10 tenth days, respectively. Unofficial reporters are that horses could face the starter on June 20.

“I would say that the break in racing has affected their [

Mahogany andDouble Crown] development, probably more so forDouble Crown thanMahogany because I thinkDouble Crown needs some more racing to kind of bring him on [for him to improve]. But then maybe the flip side of that is that because everything has been pushed back, maybe it will allow him [Double Crown] the time to develop,” Parsard told theJamaica Observer.

Mahogany (Sensational Slam – Mete-Orite) last raced on February 16 and was a 6 ½-length winner in a Restricted Stakes event over 7 ½ furlongs (1,500m). He clocked 1:31.2 minutes under Dane Dawkins.

Last raced on March 17,

Double Crown (Bellamy Road – Salty Talk) slammed rivals by 9 ½ lengths in a Restricted Allowance event over 1,500m. Ridden by Simon Husbands,Double Crown stopped the ticking of the clock in 1:33.2 minutes.

“They [

Mahogany andDouble Crown] have been fine. Both of them have been active for the two months since the closure of the racetrack as we haven’t stopped [working] with them. They haven’t done a lot in terms of anything super fast but they both have been active, and I would say that they are fairly fit. They will be as ready as they need to be, I believe, because we will get them ready,” asserted Parsard.

Mahogany is the winner of three races from five starts after losing the first two, whileDouble Crown has registered two wins from as many outings.