Officials of the Arima Race Club (ARC) have expressed confidence that live local racing can resume on October 16 based on the government’s indication that local betting shops will be able to resume operations under the safe zones protocols from October 11, however, like most, they will be busy perusing the guidelines issued for - Safe Zones.
While the regulations do not specify live racing, there is a strong collective view that the government would be acting churlishly if they were to deny the Club the opportunity to resume local racing particularly given the fact that racing falls under betting and not under sports and gambling establishments and casinos have been designated as safe zones, however, in Trinidad and Tobago anything and nothing can be taken for granted.
However, as we seem intent to repeat or is it regurgitate - "If the science is followed” - international and local horse racing has been one of the best-managed sports when it comes to COVID-19 contagion. There are no reported cases of local community spread through the conduct of horse racing activity.
The marrying of this reality with the safe zone protocols should ensure that the previous safe experiences around local horse racing will be maintained following the sport’s resumption. Given the imbroglio which marred the previous resumption of racing last year, one can only hope that the officials of the ARC get a more definitive approval from the relevant authorities during the course of the coming week.
In the expectation that racing will resume on October 16, it would have been a pleasant surprise if the ARC would have published on their website a provisional schedule of the races to be run for the remainder of the year. And yes we are aware they may be waiting for comments from non-caring trainers or others but in the past, they have done such.
And while there may not be many employees on the job, there must be someone to do this still even if remotely. Unfortunately, a recent check of the site shows the provisional programme has not been updated since May.
Horses have been in training since racing was cancelled earlier this year and so most trainers would no doubt have been keeping their charges fit enough for this resumption. Trainers would hopefully have some insight from the ARC officials of which races are being planned for day one of the resumption.
Based on what has been reported in various news media, the ARC officials seem to have settled on a revised classic diary with only two legs of the Triple Crown to be contested this year, the Guineas first was for October 23 (initially day two of the resumed season) but now it appears it is proposed for November 13 and the Derby on December 16.
Given that schedule, the racing programme for the remainder of the year should place some emphasis on giving this year’s three-year-old crop as many opportunities as possible. With the absence of races, and the dearth of racing days going forward (six days have been planned) it is to be hoped that many of the races have full fields as connections of the horses seek to race their charges as often as possible going forward.
This is likely to raise the interesting spectre of horses having to be balloted out of races and/or the ARC having to decide what to do with races with fields below a set field size. It is to be hoped that the ARC adopts a fair and transparent process in deciding both. Whether that process is the one previously adopted is questionable given the limited amount of racing likely for the remainder of the year.
Racing lost another stalwart during the last week when owner/trainer Rohit Dube reportedly passed away and we must extend condolences to all his family and friends.
As horse racing looks to restart, given the strict application by the Ministry of Health, the ARC must ensure that everyone associated is vaccinated. The safe zone protocols mean that any unvaccinated individuals currently involved at the track will not be able to access the track from October 11, 2021.
Although the government have not stipulated mandatory vaccination for the country, their actions in imposing mandatory vaccination for children to attend in-person schooling and to access various other voluntary services are a clear indication that it is a direction in which they intend to move.
It is not clear why they have not yet done so but it will be a matter of some legal constitutional interest should employers in sectors not identified by the government elect to adopt similar mandatory vaccination provisions for their operations.
For the ARC, however, there is no ambiguity with respect to the implication of not having only vaccinated individuals present at the track. The penalty structure is significant enough to ensure compliance by all safe zone operators. Trainers, jockeys, grooms, owners, administrators should ensure that their vaccination status and documentation is in order as soon as possible.
Presumably, the police and medical officials who also have to be present on the track will ensure that their status is also unimpeachable. Whatever is required, all involved in the sport must do, to give the sport the best chance of resumption on October 16. Hopefully, there will be no hiccups in the coming days.