The sport of kings got king size sponsorships as a number of the country’s leading entities have joined forces with the Port Mourant Turf Club (PMTC) in preparations for the grand one-day end-of-year horse race meet set for Sunday.
The sponsorship money has mounted to over a whopping $3 million.
Patrons will also be given a chance to win prizes before witnessing over 60 of the country’s top horses, which have so far entered, gallop.
Beverage giant Banks DIH Limited has pumped $800,000 in cash and other incentives, including the Banks DIH meet trophy in the Feature B class event.
The winning purse is now $400,000 with the distance being just over a mile. Republic Bank Guyana Limited takes charge of the second high stakes race of the three-year-old event for animals born and bred in Guyana and the West Indies.
The winner will run away with $250,000 and the Republic Banks trophy in the six and a half furlong match-up. Neal and Massey Guyana limited has the F class event covered with the winner taking home $200,000 and the Neal and Massey trophy in another six furlong event.
The two-year-old encounter is also for Horses bred and born in Guyana and the West Indies for $180,000 and the Digicel trophy.
The PMTC is also pitching in with its lot and along with friends of the club is sponsoring the next two events.
On the other hand, the I class contest will see the winner taking away the $120,000 in the seven furlong event. The winner in the I three maidens’ 3-year-old open will get a first prize of $110,000.
Overseas-based Guyanese eating house Ranth Restaurant and Bar of Queens, New York has flown in its sponsorship for the division two and three race that has a winner’s prize of $100,000 in another six furlong encounter.
Businessman Ramesh Sunich of the Trophy Stall in Bourda Market will once again be donating the individual prizes, which will go to the champion jockey, trainer and stables, among others.
So far most of the leading horses as well as the leading stables have entered their top animals in what is expected to be a day of scorching races.
Irish Gel, Great Memories, Tropical Passion, Jumbo Joy, Zenyatta, World Class, Mattarazzi, Casino Royal, Sweet Romance, Top of the Line, Zip a Dee Do Dah, Laura Lee In Flight, Miss Orient, Prixie Fire, Stylish Line, Gems Pride, The Gap, Sir Balajee, Miss Bounty, Little Spike, Stormy Water, Zebra, Star Streak, Beyonce, Clear Victory, Quincy, Lightning Mc Queen, Bounty Flyer, Miss Kimberly, Lenny’s O Halo and Sweetness are among the entries. Interested horse owners can still make contact with Krishna Jagdeo on 322-0369, C. Ramnauth on 337-5311 and Lionel Moonsammy on 614-5812.
Race time is 13:00 hrs.
