Local, regional and international jockeys are gearing up for the 16th running of the Guyana Cup on August 11 at the Rising Sun Turf Club, West Coast Berbice. This year’s Guyana Cup will be the biggest event ever, with more than 40 million dollars in cash and prizes. The feature race will pay a whopping sum of G$ 11,625,000. This lucrative event has attracted jockeys from near and far, and they are eager to bring their ‘A’ game.

Colin Ross, who is arguably Guyana’s number one jockey, and was the champion jockey for 2023, said his primary goal is to win. He said he will put his best foot forward to return to winning ways.

“With the Guyana Cup coming up, I will push harder. There will be a lot of people coming out to see the races and the prize money is bigger. I am pushing my body to come out on top. Since 2024 started I have been doing good, but not so good (as I did last year), but from now to the end of the year, I will try to push myself to do better for the last half of the year,” Ross explained.

Meanwhile, Trinidadian jockey Rico Hernandez described the 16th running of the Guyana Cup as a special one, and he is hoping to leave his mark come August 11 at Rising Sun.

“This Guyana Cup occasion is very special. We are taking our time, building the confidence that we need, and making sure the horses are in order and happy going into the Guyana Cup. As a jockey the goal is always to win, but we must get the horses with good abilities, and we must prove that we are capable,” jockey Hernandez explained.

Jockey Ronaldo Appadu, another top jockey in Guyana, said he is looking forward for the best. “I am working very hard to be champion jockey, so I think I will take it this year. I have a lot of haters, so I put them aside, and I worked hard on the job to get improvement, so I am thankful for that,” Appadu said.

Last year’s Guyana Cup saw a total purse of G$24 million across all races, while the top horse in the feature event was paid out G$10 million. This year’s Guyana Cup as an increase in prize money of close to G$16 million dollars.

The 2024 Guyana Cup will certainly be the biggest, and the day will be packed with side attractions. The first-ever fun park is set to ignite the Rising Sun Turf Club, where children will witness a parading bar on spot, and multiple stages will be set up across the venue.

The fun park and the horse racing combined will provide the perfect recipe for a fun-filled day for the entire family. “This is something Guyana has never witnessed,” Mohamed said.

Ten races will be on the Guyana Cup card, and entries have already been open. Entries will close on August 3 and no late entries will be accepted at this year’s Guyana Cup.

With this year’s Guyana Cup purse being the biggest in the Caribbean, horses from various countries will be compelled to travel to Guyana and battle for supremacy.

In addition to the feature event, which will run at approximately 1,800 metres, other races on the provisional card include the 1,600m Derby, 1000m Sprint Classic, 1000m Two-year-old, 1000m F1 class, 1600m H1 class, 1400m J & Lower, 1400m K Class, 1400m L Class and 1400m Non-earners.