JRC softens stance - Racing to resume at Caymanas Park tomorrow without spectators

Racing will return to Caymanas Park tomorrow but without spectators.Local racing was suspended last Thursday by the Jamaica Racing Commission (JRC) following the government’s announcement of two confirmed cases of the deadly coronavirus on the island.

While speaking to The Gleaner on March 12, chairman of the JRC, Clovis Metcalfe, said: “Our position to cancel racing is based on the World Health Organisation (WHO) declaring the virus a pandemic and the policy of the Government which is to discourage large gatherings and for me personally it is out of an abundance of caution.” It appears now, however, that the JRC has softened its stance.Last Friday, following the cancellation of the weekend’s racecards, chairman of Supreme Ventures and Racing Entertainment Limited (SVREL), Solomon Sharpe, said they had applied for new dates and were waiting for the JRC to say when these new dates would be possible. Yesterday Wayne Chen, deputy chairman of the JRC, in confirming that racing has been given the go ahead, urged punters and horse racing enthusiasts to stay away from Caymanas Park and do their betting and viewing off track.

The deputy chairman said the JRC has instructed SVREL to put strict measures in place to prevent any spectators or punters coming into the track, as only licensed personnel should be permitted to enter the premises. Patrons who wish to wager may do so using the MBet application or OTB locations.

“I can’t speak to the specifics of Tuesday’s racing but from the point of view from the Jamaica Racing Commission we have no objection to racing as long as it does not involve any large gathering,” Chen told The Gleaner.

‘Stay away from Caymanas’

“So we urge spectators, punters, racing enthusiasts to stay away from Caymanas Park to allow the races to be run, because if we find any break in this guideline, we will have no choice but to take further action. But the fact of the matter is we have been assured that the races can be run without any gathering of crowds,” he said.

He added: “Whatever we say is going to be superseded by the interest of the public and the guidance of the Ministry of Health and Wellness.

“If they (promoters) do not put adequate measures in place, then that’s it. So all of those people who love horse racing, stay far from Caymanas Park if they want to see racing continue.

People have to be prudent in their actions in terms of social distancing and avoiding crowds, so they can enjoy racing by other means, whether by telecast or radio.”