Bernard believes in Supreme team

Following a recent shake-up at the promoting company, Supreme Ventures Racing and Entertainment Limited's (SVREL), Chairman Michael Bernard is confident that the new team they have put together will move the horse racing industry forward.

Main members of this team are recently employed Director of Marketing, Peter Green; Director of Racing Chris Armond; and General Manager of Racetrack Operations, Anthony Shoucair.

Bernard, who made his comments at yesterday's launch of the 22nd running of the Lotto Classic for the Governor's Cup at Spanish Court Hotel in New Kingston said the recent shake-up of personnel was necessary if they wanted to achieve the results desired by stakeholders and the racing public.

"We are still in the process of transforming the product and with transformation comes change. We have a vision of the future, and to get there we have to put strategies in place and make changes to the organisation. We have looked at the product and we are in the process of revamping, remodelling and redesigning to make it even better," Bernard said.

He said that to plan, execute and implement a programme for development and transformation, they needed a good team, and he is confident that Armond, Green and Shoucair can take the sport in the direction they are aiming.

"I am very confident ... this year there will be significant improvement to ensure we move along the path of the kind of change our stakeholders and the public are expecting," he stated.

High-profile departures

There were two high-profile departures from SVREL recently. Chief Operating Officer Brando Hayden resigned, while the post of racing secretary, which was occupied by Denzil Miller Jr, was made redundant.

Meanwhile, the 22nd running of the annual Lotto Classic will take place on Saturday, May 26 at Caymanas Park. The raceday will feature three top class races. There will be the Lotto Juvenile Stakes, a maiden special-weight race for native-bred two-year-olds over 600 metres for a purse of $1 million. The secondary feature will be the Lotto Sprint trophy, a grade one handicap race for native-bred and imported three-year-olds and upward over 1100 metres for a purse of $1.75 million.

While the feature event, the Lotto Classic for the Governors Cup, in will feature native-bred three-year-olds over 2000 metres for a $3-million prize money.

The likely starters for the Lotto Classic include Oaks heroine FAYROUZ, MARQUESAS, WITHOUT EXCEPTION, EL PROFESOR, LIGHTNING MCQUEEN, DRUMMER BOY, OUTRAGEOUS TAJ, PEKING CRUZ and CONTRACTOR.