After August 31, the 2024 racing year in Jamaica has four months remaining over which another 27 race days are left on the calendar.

With 504 races run so far, there is a concerning metric indicating that at an average of 10 per day will only be another 270 races for a total of 774 this year at best. Note that in 2022 there were 88 programmes staging 856 races, but in 2023 the 84 race cards yielded 802.

In the meantime, the ongoing dialogue between promoting company Supreme Ventures Racing and Entertainment Limited (SVREL) over a purse increase proposed by the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association and the United Racehorse Trainers Association of Jamaica continues with the parties poles apart. SVREL’s position, which in my view is factually objective, is that an upward adjustment in prize money is unaffordable given the significant capital investment in the Caymanas plant since the acquisition in March 2017.

However, Supreme Ventures Limited (SVL), the principal investor, is not blameless as no due diligence was undertaken before acquisition to determine why a gaming product that grew 300 per cent in three decades up to 1992 required government support of US$40 million over the next three to remain operational.

Truth be told, SVREL is operating with an underperforming racing product delivered in a flawed system of claiming which the horsemen can change. The lack of recognition of this is nothing short of wilful ignorance.

It will be interesting to see what position will be taken locally when after 96 years the United States Jockey Club moves to classify the horse population there to increase field sizes and save its faltering industry.

The division one 1,600-metre O & S Tack Room Trophy, for Overnight Allowance qualifiers, staged as races nine and 10, highlighted the programme of 11 races.

Division One went to Money Miser (3-2), who scored by two lengths with leading reinsman Tevin Foster representing owner/breeder/trainer Fitzroy Glispie.

In Division Two, Bern Notice (5-1), declared by Ian Roberts, won by half a length with Shavon Townsend at the reins.

The opening event run at 800 metres straight was taken by 7/2 bet Schlesinger, owned and trained by Winchester McIntosh, gave Raddesh Roman the first of a double on the day. The title-chasing reinsman was back in the winners’ enclosure after the Gary Subratie-conditioned Natural Dancer (5-1) triumphed by just over four lengths in the 1200-metre eighth event.

Roman started the day on 83, four adrift of leader Tevin Foster, but this top rider responded likewise with success aboard the aforementioned Money Miser as well as maiden colt Small Boss (7-2) for trainer Adrian Prince in the 1300-metre nightcap.

In race four, 8-1 shot Rhosa Warrior, owned and trained by Anthony Smith, was in front by three-and-a-half lengths at the end of the 1200-metre gallop.

Two-kilogramme claimer Shavon Townsend had one of his most productive days in the saddle this season in claiming double success. Firstly, in race two, he was at his best on Henry Harrison’s front-runner Regnant (6-1) over 1100 metres. Then secondly, he gave another scintillating execution of good jockeyship aboard Bern Notice in the divided feature.

Race three over 1300 metres went to Michael Marlowe’s front-running
Sugar Sugar (4-1) ridden by Matthew Bennett.

Then there was also a good display in the saddle by three-kilo claimer Richard Henry, who partnered Phillip Feanny’s Riches To Rags (USA) in the 1100-metre race seven for a near four-length victory margin at odds of 36-1.

The present students of the Jamaica Racing Commission Riding School got another opportunity to practise their skills in the divided Training Race #2 run as races five and six both contested over 1100 metres.

Division One was won by Handyman (4-1) ridden by Jermaine Lewis for owner/breeder/trainer Lorenzo Robinson, while Division Two went to Casual Treasure with Shayne Martin aboard for conditioner Renex Burrell.

The Training Feat Award is presented to Henry Harrison for the Best Winning Gallop of
Regnant, a speedy, lightly raced six-year-gelding who is difficult to train but ran gamely under the skilful handling of Shavon Townsend.

For winning his riding double, Townsend gets the Jockeyship Award as both victory margins of his mounts totalled just over one length.