File
Sunday raceday at Caymanas Park begins today, however, off-track betting shops will remain closed. The Church is hailing this as a victory in its fight to keep horse racing off the books on this day of worship.
Daraine Luton, Sunday Staff Reporter
TODAY, THE first-ever Sunday raceday at Caymanas Park will leave the starting gates, but without the flavour of off-track betting, which contributes an estimated 70 per cent to Caymanas Track Limited (CTL) revenue. The average raceday earning for CTL is $30 million.
Off-track betting was sidetracked mainly by the powerful anti-Sunday-racing lobby led by the Church, admits Information Minister Daryl Vaz.
"The lobby from the Church was a consideration, and there were financial considerations as well," Vaz told The Sunday Gleaner.
The Government tried to stare down a very powerful lobby from the Church since CTL chairman Tony Hart announced in September that Cabinet had approved two days for Sunday racing this year. The second raceday is scheduled for December 13.
But, instead of a canter with betting across the island, the Church has managed to confine Sunday racing to a plot of land in Portmore, St Catherine, while worshippers will be giving praise islandwide.
Beginning of the end?
Veteran racing writer, Orville Clarke, has opined that if CTL makes a big loss today, it could mean the beginning of the end for Sunday racing in Jamaica.
"I hope Sunday racing succeeds, but I have my doubts, given the fact that the main component to make it a success, off-track betting, has been removed," Clarke said.
While punters and racing interests sit on tenterhooks today, the Church celebrates 'answered prayers'.
Kevin Richards, pastor of New Life Evangelistic Centre, based in Portmore, St Catherine, said having the shutters of the off-track betting parlours down represents a major victory for the Church.
However, Richards said the fight to see the stillbirth of Sunday racing is being waged by a higher power.
"This is not the Church's battle, it is the Almighty's battle, and when He fights on the Church's behalf, we are well secured," Richards said.
No apparent barriers
When Hart announced plans to stage Sunday racing, there were no apparent barriers to off-track betting.
"We have approval from the Government and two meetings are scheduled for the remainder of the year," Hart disclosed as he predicted that Sunday racing would do 50 per cent more business than Wednesday racing.
But that prediction was stopped in its tracks last week when Cabinet limited Sunday-racing activities to Caymanas Park, closing the door on off-track betting, and banning the live broadcast of the raceday on radio and television.
Although claiming victory, the Church says there are still many mountains to climb and many rivers to cross.
"Prayers are still going forward. God has a timing to do everything and the timing of God is sure. I am confident that this thing will not last very long, because the fact that you will not be able to bet on a Sunday in itself is a victory," Richards told The Sunday Gleaner.
Meanwhile, Chris Armond, a member of the CTL Board of Directors and chairman of the Racing Advisory Council, would not say to what extent he expected the closure of the off-track parlours to affect the viability of Sunday racing.
"I don't want to speculate. I will just wait until the day is over, then we will see what the revenues are like," Armond said.
He added: "The only thing I am worried about is trying to deal with the crowd that we are expecting tomorrow (today). We are expecting an overwhelming crowd because the off-tracks are closed and people who want to bet on racing have to go to Caymanas Park."
daraine.luton@gleanerjm.com
Punters' take
From left, Kibba Ranks, Oneil McCalla, Alan Mason, Claude Lobban, Wellynsmaire Williams and Sheldon Boothe.
Even if you buy your bet and you are at home and the race run and you win, you just win. It is not really necessary for a man to come to a betting shop on Sunday, still. So if you buy a bet from Saturday, you can just stay home and know if you win. It wouldn't look right, still, to bet on a Sunday.
Nothing don't wrong with closing a betting shop on a Sunday. As long as you can purchase a bet from Saturday, everything is okay.
"It can keep open, a many man it get out of trouble. (If) the betting shop out of the church region, it can keep open on a Sunday.
Well, everyone would have to go to the track. I think going to the track on a Sunday would be the right thing. I agree with it (closing of betting shop on a Sunday).
I think the Government is doing a good business but away from that we have to communicate about it and talk to each other so that everybody can feel good about that.
I don't see anything wrong with racing on a Sunday. Racing on a Sunday takes place all over the world and it can help the Government economically as they get a lot of revenue from it.