Jockey Hernandez upbeat ahead of Port Mourant horse race meet

The excitement is building rapidly ahead of the Port Mourant Turf Club horse race meet, which is set for Sunday, July 14.
Experienced Trinidadian jockey Rico Hernandez is fully focused ahead of race day, but he has one eye set on the bigger picture, the Guyana Cup.
Hernandez, who plies his trade for the Jagdeo Racing Stables, noted that preparations were moving apace for Sunday’s meet.
“We are hoping for some good weather. The Jagdeo Racing Stables did some work, so we are hoping for the best since the horses are doing great,” he said.

The Guyana Cup, which will be held at the Rising Sun Turf Club on August 11, and is expected to be the biggest event of the year, has been on everyone’s mind. With more than $40 million in cash and prizes up for grabs at the Guyana Cup, Hernandez noted that he was looking forward to some wins.
“This Guyana Cup occasion is very special. We are taking our time, building the confidence that we need, and making sure the horses are in order and happy going into the Guyana Cup. As a jockey, the goal is always to win, but we must get the horses with good abilities, and we must prove that we are capable,” the T&T jockey explained.
Sunday’s race meet at Port Mourant will be the final competitive preparation ahead of the Guyana Cup, and all the top horses will be out to shine bright.
Guyana’s champion horse Spankhurst; Guyana Cup winner for 2023, Easy Time; arch-rival Stolen Money; Jessica’s Pride and the boss lady, Bossalina are among the high-profile horses confirmed for July 14.

The provisional programme set out for the Port Mourant race meet has eight races on the cards, and close to $10 million in cash and prizes will be up for grabs. The feature race, running at an approximate distance of 1350 metres, will be open to all horses, and the top horse will bag $1.5 million.
The three-year-old Guyana and West Indies-bred horses will run at 1350 metres, and the top horse will be rewarded $500,000. Horses in the H & Lower will run at 1500 metres, and the top horse will be awarded $400,000. Other races on the cards include the E Class non-earner last start & F and Lower, the two-year-old Guyana-bred, the J & Lower, the L Open, and the J/K/L maiden.
All races will be run under the guidance of the Guyana Horse Racing Authority rules, and races are subject to change. Horse owners would need to show proof of horses’ vaccination at time of entry. Entries for the July 14 horse race meet closed on July 8, 2024.
The Port Mourant Turf Club horse race meet, which was originally listed on the 2024 calendar as the Caricom meet, is sponsored by AJM, KP Jagdeo General Contractors, Old Broom Lounge, Jumbo Jet Auto Sales, and Crown Vibes.