TURFITES get ready, the stage is set for the Kennard’s Memorial Turf Club (KMTC) grand horse race meet which is scheduled to run off tomorrow at the club’s track at Bush Lot Farm, Corentyne, Berbice.

The annual Boxing Day event has been one of the country’s traditions over the years and this year’s meet is being deemed the ‘biggest’ in recent years, according to club President, Justice Cecil Kennard.

“What I can assure persons is that almost all the top race horses locally will be on show, so definitely turfites can expect not only a family fun day, but top horse racing action,” Kennard told Chronicle Sport yesterday.
The 82-year-old made it clear that the races will be run under the rules of the Guyana Horse Racing Authority.

According to Kennard, in the event that there are less than five horses entered for any event, the club reserves the right to cancel or reframe the said event or reduce the prize money after consulting with the horse owners.

He further noted that owners of horses must pay at least $5000 for each horse at the time of entry. If not paid, the horse’s name would not appear on the official programme and the horse will not be permitted to run.

According to Kennard, five horses must start before a third-place prize is paid, while seven horses must start a race before a fourth-place prize is paid.
For tomorrow’s event, the feature race is for horses E and Lower, over seven furlongs with a winning tag of $1M.

Other races billed for the day are the H1 and Lower race, along with the Three-year-old and over races which will see the winners taking home $250 000 and $240 000 respectively.

Meanwhile, the race for two-year-old Guyana-bred horses (Maidens), which will be contested over a distance of five furlongs, will see the winner gallop away with $200, 000; the L-Open $140, 000, L Non-winners $120, 000 and L non-earners $100, 000.
Race time is 12.00 hrs, (Rajiv Bisnauth)