International standard for Caymanas Park track – Gooden

Lorna Gooden, general manager of Supreme Ventures Racing and Entertainment Limited (SVREL), said the re-sanding work on the Caymanas Park track will be done at an international standard.

The re-sanding work of the track began yesterday and will last for three days, during which time no exercise workout will be allowed to take place.

The surface has been blamed in recent times for a number horses breaking down during exercise, or on race-days. It has also been blamed for a series of spills involving jockeys on race-days.

"What we strive to do in everything that we do, is to do it to international and best-practice standards," said Gooden.

"We are expecting that it will be a good outcome, continuing on the path that we have strive to maintain since we have taken over operations.

Best to maintain

"The surface has always been good, and we will continue to do our work and our best to maintain it at (an) international standard," Gooden said.

The SVREL boss underscored that the close-down of the track will disrupt the training of a number of horses, but she noted that this work is needed in order to improve the track surface.

"I am sure that it is (an inconvenience), but I am sure that it is something that is well worth it," Gooden said. "We have been affected by the curfew, and so our operations have been shut down anyway for the weekend; and so what we have tried to do is to utilise the time wisely to do what is required now," she said.

Ian Parsard, who was voted the most improved trainer last year, said he welcomed this move by SVREL because it will certainly benefit the stakeholders at the facility.

"I think that proper maintenance of the racetrack has to be a priority because without a good racetrack, we will have a number of breakdowns, and without the horses we won't be able to have a good racing product," said Parsard.

"The re-sanding of the track is an exercise which is required to be done ever so frequently, and so having seen that the re-sanding is going to be done, I think the move is good because it is part of the right overall maintenance of the track that is needed."