The Port Mourant Turf Club annual one-day Emancipation Horse Race today is expected to be one with a difference, sporting new features.
The addition of the multi-million dollar photo finish camera has been procured and will be used in Guyana to help eliminate disputes in close finishes. On the other hand, 10 recently imported horses will also be on show for the first time.
Seven races are listed for the day and turfites will be housed in rehabilitated stands for this meet.
Overseas-based Guyanese Shook Shivmangal of Shook’s Import and Export will sponsor the feature B class event with stakes close to $1 million. The winner of that race will take home $500,000 and the Guyana Star Memorial Trophy.
The race will be run over a distance of 1800m. Some of the top contenders are Miss Republic, The Message, Sweet Caramel, Annie’s Playmate, Sweet Revenge and newly imported Prince Charming Silver Source.
Banks DIH will be sponsoring the stakes for the three-year-old derby for horses bred and born in Guyana and the West Indies. The top prize has been set at $400,000 over 1700m.
Peaceful, Celebration, Sabrina’s Princess, Stormy Lass, Stormy Deal, Fantastic Choice and Sky is the Limit will be looking to extend themselves in this 1700m classic.
The two-year-old open event for horses bred and born in Guyana and the West Indies has a winning purse of $300,000 and will go a distance of 1200m. Better than Gold, Big Impact, Sabrina’s Joy, Zodiac Princess, Surprise Riches, Pay Day and Money Up Front will be looking to draw down early in the 1200m event.
The E class event winner gets $250,000 over 1300m. Mattarazzi, Madame Butterfly, Home Bush Baby and Laura lee In Flight are the top animals in this race.
The ‘G’ class and lower 1200M event has top prize money of $220,000. Face the Music will once again be in action, Stylish Line, Air Control, the Gap and Prixie Fire are the top contenders. Digicel is on board for the ‘I’ class race with the winning purse being $120,000 for the champion animal in that division over 1300m. Clear Victory, Zebra, Indian Flag, Baby Boy, Graphic, Dream Girl, El Gato and Bounty Flyer are the top runners.
The horses in the I-3 race also sponsored by Digicel will be competing for a winning sum of $110,000. Extra Heat, Socem, Black Shadow and Sporting Time are among the horses entered for the race.
Top jockeys, trainers and stables will be presented with trophies, compliments of Ramesh Sunich of Trophy Stall, Bourda Market.
The day’s activity will be conducted under the rules of the Guyana Horse Racing Authority (GHRA). Over 65 horses have entered for the day’s meet, which has over $3.6 million in prize money.
