No horsing around! - SVREL boss warns of strict adherence to ‘COVID-19 protocols’ as racing resumes at Caymanas

When racing resumes today at Caymanas Park, it will be under the strictest of protocols, which according to Supreme Ventures Racing Limited (SVRL) Chairman, Solomon Sharpe, have been devised to ensure a low-risk environment for all stakeholders.

The 10-race card will take place with first post at 12:20 p.m. without fans and attendance restricted to critical racing personnel, broadcasters as well as representatives from the Betting, Gaming and Lotteries Commission (BGLC) and the Jamaica Racing Commission (JRC).

“There will be no spectators at the track; there will be no owners at the track. The only persons at the track (today) are the licensed trainers, jockeys, grooms, jockey agents and valets. Those are considered our working group at the track. In addition to that, you will have the broadcast people, the media, two persons from the BGLC, you will have the group from the JRC. Other than that, it’s just our staff,” Sharpe told The Gleaner yesterday.

Sharpe said that the measures include health checks for all persons entering the grounds which consist of temperature checks and the provision of hand sanitisers to maintain a sterile environment. He believes that the restrictions will help to minimise exposure and alleviate risk with limited numbers of persons in enclosed and open spaces.

“What we are doing, we are trying to make sure that we take a strict adherence to all the protocols of 25 persons in any enclosed space and 50 in any open space,” he said.

The restrictions will apply to the betting establishments across the country with a directive from the BGLC given to Off Track Betting (OTB) establishments to enforce the limiting attendance guidelines.

“Following the meeting we just had that included the BGLC, they said that we are about strict adherence to keep those numbers to 25 in enclosed spaces. And we have already sent out communication to these OTBs and had communication to these OTBs reminding them of what the COVID-19 protocols are, so to speak,” Sharpe said. “That is what the COVID-19 protocol speaks to. That is what we have said to the OTB operators, that is what the BGLC has said to the OTB operators. So we are just trying to maintain with everybody the protocols that they should be [followed].”

Sharpe believes that all measures have been taken to execute the racing card under the required guidelines and he anticipates that until the situation improves, it will be a glimpse of what could be the new normal for horse racing.

I think [we] have been preparing for a situation like this for the last two weeks. Especially since it has been heightened in the last week. So I think the preparations are in place. I feel confident about the preparations. I think it’s just a matter of execution now,” he said. “I think everybody in general across the entire society, there will be a different way of living moving forward. [It is] no different [in] our industry.