Guyana’s horse racing boasts significant boost in competition – veteran Jockey
Traditionally, two horse racing stables were at the tip of the tongues of fans: Jumbo Jet Racing Stables and Jagdeo Racing Stables. Fast forward to 2024, more owners are in the country and the competition is intense.
According to veteran jockey and trainer Winston Appadu, the quality of horses that are currently in Guyana are arguably the best.
More new horses were imported ahead of the President’s Cup
Slingerz Racing Stables are the current Guyana Cup and President’s Cup champion, Js Racing Stables, are arguably the hottest newcomer in Guyana’s horse racing with top quality buys, and Simply Royal Racing Stables have also made a name for themselves in feature races.
There are still a number of high-quality horses at Jumbo Jet Racing Stables and Jagdeo Racing Stables, but with more owners coming into the sport, the competition level continues to rise and this has aided in the growth of Guyana’s horse racing.
When asked about the caliber of horses in Guyana, Appadu said; “The competition is hard up there. Javed (Slingerz Racing Stables) bring three good horses, Junior (Jumbo Jet Racing Stables) bring some horses in, and Js Racing stables. Competition is hard so you must keep focusing and prepare your horses properly.”
“Things changed. A lot of different horses with different speed. So, it’s good for Guyana horse racing. It’s improving a lot. You can come see stakes horse running in Guyana. Back in the days you would get a $10,000 claimer coming to run,” Appadu said.
While quality of horses imported to Guyana continues to rise, so is the cash payout, as the Guyana Cup 2024 saw a G$16 million increase for 2023, with G$40 million being the total purse.
The horses and horsemen will have a grand showdown on Sunday September 22 at Rising Sun when the President’s Cup takes centre stage.
Nine races are on the provisional program and more than G$ 15 million will be up for grabs. The top horses that featured at the Guyana Cup, and more new horses will ignite the Rising Sun Turf Club in less than 10 days’ time.
