Caymanas Track Limited Chairman Tony Hart announces plans for Sunday horse racing at Caymanas Park, during a press conference at the Knutsford Court Hotel in New Kingston yesterday. - Colin Hamilton/Freelance Photographer

SUNDAY horse racing, long time a controversial topic, will finally come on stream at Caymanas Park later this year, with two meetings scheduled in the fourth and final quarter.

The first will be held on Sunday, November 29, and the second on December 13.

This milestone disclosure was made yesterday by Tony Hart, chairman of Caymanas Track Limited (CTL), at a press conference hosted by the CTL board at the Knustford Court Hotel, to update the public on the status of the horse racing industry and the plans formulated by the company after its first six months.

Noting that the new minister with responsibility for racing, Senator Arthur Williams (who succeeded Don Wehby in the Ministry of Finance as State Minister on August 1) has given much support to the board, Hart said all is in place to start Sunday racing.

"We have approval from the Government and two meetings are scheduled for the remainder of the year," he disclosed.

It is estimated that Sunday racing will probably do 50 per cent more business than Wednesday racing.

However, it was pointed out that under the law, the bookmakers are not permitted to sell bets on a Sunday.

NEW EXOTIC BETS

A range of new exotic bets will soon be introduced. These are the Mega Exacta and Mega Quinella, as well as the Fourplay, which is an extension of the Twin-Tri and the Hit-6, an extension of the Hi-Five.

Hart said approval has been granted by the Betting, Gaming and Lotteries Commission for these bets, and all will offer huge payouts to punters at Caymanas Park and its 63 Off-Track Betting Parlours islandwide.

In light of this, there will be an upgrade of the totalisator system and revision of the betting rules, while the local racing signal will soon be exported to North and South America for co-mingling.

Senator Arthur Williams provided some good news for horsemen: Purse money will be increased as of October 1, this to the tune of $110 million.

As a result, the minister said the purse for the Jamaica Derby will move from $5 million to a whopping $9 million. If that wasn't enough, the purses for two and three-year-old races will be increased by 30 per cent, as well as appearance fee.

Provision will also be put in place for live racing on television. Tenders are being offered to three companies and a decision on the successful bidder will soon be made.

There will also be increased sponsorship of races during the coming months. The Superstakes, which failed to attract Corporate sponsorship last year, will be sponsored by Amalgamated Distributors, who will put up $3.7 million to the purse.

Back-to-back racemeets

The popular Gold Cup grade one race over 1400 metres will be sponsored by Caribbean Producers to the tune of $500,000, while a new race for the Power To The People Trophy, sponsored by Power Wine to the tune of $750,000, will come on stream shortly, but with a difference.

To cap it all, CTL director Chris Armond, who is chairman of the Advisory Committee, disclosed that the Superstakes weekend will embrace back-to-back racemeets on Friday, November 13, and Saturday, November 14, culminating with the Thoroughbred Yearling Sale on the Sunday.

Meanwhile, CTL will have a new general manager in Ryan White, effective October 1. White is a former general manager of Facey Commodity Limited and Issa Transport.