Champion trainer Wayne DaCosta makes progress - but still needs blood to fight unspecified illness

Jason DaCosta, the son of many-time champion trainer Wayne DaCosta, said his father's conditions have been improving, but he is appealing to the public for more donation of blood to help him get over his illness.

DaCosta has been admitted at the Intensive Care Unit at the University Hospital of the West Indies for an unspecified illness since February.

Jason said his father has been making steady progress in his recovery and he hopes the veteran trainer will overcome the illness soon.

"He is improving slowly every day. He is on the right track," said Jason. "He got a good amount of donations (of blood) and that helps, but we are still asking for a some more; but he is improving and he is on the right track."

Shown their love

Jason has taken over the operations of his father's stables in his absence.

He underscored that the response from everyone at the stables has been good and they have all shown their love and appreciation for the work that he has been doing on behalf of his father.

"I have to do this because I love my dad and he will do anything for me, and so I have to do the same for him," he said. "I just have to come out and work every day and try hard and do things that he would want, and so I am just basically working off his programmes," Jason said.

"The response is pretty good, because all the guys are doing their jobs and following instructions," he said. "I have been training since 2009 in the United States and I have won almost four hundred races, and so the task here is similar because training horses is the same everywhere."