Cycle Of Self-Destruction
On January 21 news broke that, again, unrest raged at Caymanas Park. Yet again, the fundamental bone of contention was the slow pace of purse increase negotiations and minimal offers made …
Economic Self-Interest
Caveat. Your columnist is not a trained economist. There are significant numbers of the private sector in Jamaica, of which your columnist is a member, who have complained of a shortage …
Speed Trap!
January is always the most difficult time for speed figure nerds like me. The calculation of track variants and corrected times in order to produce accurate speed figures becomes even more …
What’s New For 2022?
Happy New Year to all those who dressed up to go downstairs and bring in the New Year at home… 2021 went out with a bang at Caymanas Park as Anthony …
Yuletide Racing Reflections
’Tis the season and all that… It’s traditional to reflect on the year’s happenings as we draw to the end of yet another racing year. For me the standout performer must …
Forward Ever Backward Never
The most important factor in finding winners is the state of the going. It’s the horses’ main external contact so, as Dennis Brown might say, some like it hot; some like …
Konichiwa Seken!
Despite the obdurate obstacles of a pandemic, 2021 has been a breakthrough year for Japanese sport. Hideki Matsuyama’s historic victory in the Masters at Augusta in April gave Japan its first …
Is The Track Prejudiced?
By The Terrible Tout Lots of misinformation and rumour are usually bruited about regarding Caymanas Park’s track bias. A cultish commitment to the advantage of a high number draw has become …
Nothing Wrong With The Track
Murmurs of discontent about track maintenance are circulating. An unfortunate incident occured in October 9’s ninth race when Primal Fear broke down (reportedly fractured a leg) 600 metres out. As his …
Protect The Punter – Protect The Industry
Horseracing regulation is all about protection of the punter. As a sport inextricably linked to gambling that earns every dollar of revenue from punters betting on races, there can be no …
Pupil To Outstrip The Master?
Horse racing’s survival despite eighteen months of pandemic buffeting has been a sports success story. It’s true that it has been the beneficiary of government ‘’see-and-blind” discrimination (some might say “hypocrisy”) …