Organisers reverse decision in feature ‘A’ class event at President Cup meet

Apr 28, 2015 Sports

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By Samuel Whyte
Controversy continues to plague sports in Guyana and horseracing is no exception. Sunday’s President Cup Horserace meet organised by the Port Mourant Turf Club in collaboration with the People’s Progressive

Party/Civic had its fair share with the decision of the feature race being reversed even after the winner was announced and the trophy was presented. Also during the day two horses were seriously injured with one having to be put down.
The feature event, although having a small field, was full of action even as Guyana’s top horse Score’s Even was beaten into submission for the second consecutive race meeting. Score’s Even was looking for revenge having being badly beaten in its last outing at the Guyana Cup Fever Race a few weeks ago. Having not loss two consecutive races since its dominance, all eyes were on the animal to perform.  However it was Spit Fire rated D3 of the Shariff Racing stable with Randolph Richmond abode and Jack in My Style with Colin Ross on the mount that provided the fireworks.
Spit Fire with a good reputation and imported from Trinidad with three wins from four starts in Guyana had entered as an underdog as it was racing for the first time in the feature event. Jack In My style had its fair share of starts in a feature event.
As the horses raced out of the starting gates in the 1700M event Score’s Even took to the front being hard pressed by Spit Fire with Jockey Randolph Richmond on board.  As the race got deeper Spit Fire continued to take the fight to Score’s Even. When asked for more, Spit Fire eased past Score’s Even and opened a lead of about three lengths as Jack In My Style began to run. Into the far turn Spit Fire took over with Jack in My Style and Run Nana Run gaining ground as Score’s Even started to fade.
Into the homestretch Jack In My Style with Colin Ross on mount drew up alongside Spit Fire as the animals thundered down the stretch towards the finishing line going neck and neck. In the end it was one of the closest of finishes in a feature event. However from the naked eye Spit Fire with Richmond seemed to have done enough to win by a whisker with Jack In My Style second, Run Nana Run third and Score’s Even out of the money bringing up the rear in fourth. The hefty $1.2M and the President Cup was presented by Finance Minister Ashnie Singh.
However after the race the connections of the Jumbo Jet questioned the final result with a dead heat being announced after a stewards’ inquiry was held and the decisions overturned after.
The connections of the Shariff Racing stable are now questioning the process and reasons for overturning the results with horseracing knowledgeable saying it was wrong. Some question being asked –you cannot get a stewards inquiry after the results were announced and the trophy handed over. There were no complaints by the jockeys in the race. The owners and jockeys were never call to any inquiry by the officials. The judges were unanimous in their decision, at no time any of the judges raised a dissenting voice. The judges were never called to any inquiry. There was no empirical evidence presented to overturn the decision already made.
According to Shariff he is prepared to fight the decision to overturn the decision in awarding his horse victory.
In other results, Release the Beast of the Jumbo Jet Stable with Ross riding was released with fury over the second half of the race to eat up the E1 and lower 1300M event and the $500,000 money and trophy from Swing Easy, Sent From Above and Passion for Song.
The G2 and lower 1300M event saw Bridal Stone Corner with Richmond of the Marcel Crawford Stable producing a good run down the homestretch to take the $400,000 winners take and trophy ahead of Its My Choice and Joyful Victory.  During that event Settling Jet fell just before the finishing line and broke its leg and also injuring jockey Rad Ramnauth.
She So Special of the Jumbo Jet stable with Ross in the stirrups won the $240,000 first prize and trophy in a close race from Cat Messiah, Super Bowl and Bird man in the H1 and lower and 3 years old West Indies Bred maiden 1300M event. During that event the horse – Dem Girl Sugar fell and broke two of its legs and had to be put down.
Affinity ridden by Kevin Paul won the J3 and lower event ahead of Little, Speed Vision and Miss Regina.
The K class non winners’ event saw Massapaquea Dr of the Selso Crawford Stable with Rad Drepaul winning from Plane Land and Maggaline.
The top stable on show was the Jumbo Jet stable. Jockey Randolph Richmond was the top jockey with Ross also performing creditable and were adjudged the top jockeys.
Efforts to contact coordinator Dennis DeRoop proved futile since both his number were ringing out.

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