Will Racing Sleep With The Fishes?
BY THE TERRIBLE TOUT I can’t believe this is my 50th column for Public Opinion. Or that you’ve allowed me to bore you to death for so long. Ah, well, once …
The warning written in water – Part 1
Melissa is not some ‘Mali Gripe an’ Fluxxy Complaint,’ In Jamaican folk speech, few expressions separate the trifling from the tragic as clearly as the phrase “Mali gripe an’ fluxxy complaint.” …
Fillies Time of Year
It’s that time of year again when the fillies, dull and listless all summer, tend to pop up as unappreciated long shots and reward faithful punters committed to clear thinking with …
Sports Administration Fiasco
Two of Jamaica’s sporting organizations, the Jamaica Netball Association (JNA), and the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF), will be arranging elections for new leaders very shortly. The president of the JNA, Paula …
Where Time Is Meaningless!
Last week, in-between family duties, I watched as much of the five-day Glorious Goodwood festival from Sussex, England, as possible. On Thursday, a peculiar thing happened. Although the first race went …
Tired of the JFF griping about lack of resources
The inability of our Under 23 male footballers to qualify for the next Olympics by failing to beat fellow Caribbean neighbours Dominica and St Kitts is another embarrassment in the management …
Value at the tote (less is more) and in the St Leger
Unfortunately, local horse racing continues to bleed customers of all ages. Very few of the millennial generation are sufficiently interested to invest in a tote that extorts 30% of stakes …
A Derby Day Fashion Statement
The following apocryphal story has been making the rounds since I was knee high to a grasshopper (or grass lice whichever you prefer). Lord Nelson was on the bridge of HMS …
Reggae Girlz
An early goal, nervous first 20 minutes with unnecessary turnovers, meant that despite excellent goalkeeping, and Jamaican determination right to the final minutes — Brazil 3 (ranked 10 in the world) …
Jamaica Derby Preview
The Jamaica Derby’s 99th running is scheduled for tomorrow but Public Opinion deadlines mean readers must be satisfied with a very early preview. I’ll be looking at the horses I expect …
TV Coverage Essential To Racing’s Survival
If horse racing isn’t to die with its aging fans, two vital factors need to be added to its crash cart: namely marketing and availability. Currently, racing is limping along …