KINGSTON, Jamaica – President of the United Racehorse Trainers Association of Jamaica (URTAJ), Patrick Smellie is not holding back on his demand to get a substantial increase in purse money from the promoter of local racing in Jamaica, Supreme Ventures Racing and Entertainment Limited (SVREL).
Speaking with Quickgallop.com following a meeting of stakeholders and SVREL at the racetrack earlier today (Tuesday, July 11, 2023), Smellie said the amount of $27 million offered by the promoting company was a disgrace, and simply does not represent even the basic costs necessary to bring a horse on the track to race.
“Everything has increased even after the curtailing of the COVID-19 pandemic. We have to get realistic and face what is in front of us.
“Owners of which a substantial amount are trainers have had to be paying much more in recent times for the keep and care of their horses. “Plus, the grooms are demanding an increase in wages. Where is the money going to come from to pay this increase, if we don’t get a substantial increase in purses? Now, we are at a standstill as $27 million is totally insufficient, hence no horses will be nominated for the race meets on Saturday (July 15) and Sunday (July 16), and after that, we will see what happens,” Smellie told Quickgallop.com.
The trainers’ president then stated that he and his members were particularly aggrieved with the stance taken by SVREL on the issue of the purse increase.
Smellie said: “We have a signed deed from June 2022, that the next purse increase would be based on a certain amount (percentage) of sales. That amount on which taxes were paid by SVREL amounted to approximately $6.2 billion according to the regulatory agency, the Betting Gaming and Lotteries Commission (BGLC). Now SVREL is saying that the amount is not $6.2 billion but approximately $800,000 million less as a mistake was made, without thus far providing any concrete documentation to explain the difference, as confirmed by the BGLC representative present at the Tuesday meeting. In order for racing to survive, a substantial increase is necessary.”
6 Responses
what a bam bam..story cum a bump!!!
Look so
what a bam bam..story cum a bump!!! with two race meets lost ,it should be bumper nominations for the rest of the month..REMEMBER DERBY DAY..
Bam Bam Indeed
The promoters really need to do a better job the Derby programs are weak should be an infield day with all Races over a million dollars they need to get it together
LETS DO SOME GOOD OLD ARITHMETIC BASED ON THE AMOUNT IN QUESTION
ON AVERAGE 4 RACE DAYS PER MONTH IS 40 RACES THIS EQUATES TO 408 RACES PER YEAR NO WEDNESDAYS OR PUBLIC HOLIDAYS,IF 27 MILLION IS DISBURSED EQUALLY FOR 432 RACES,EACH RACE WOULD GET AN INCREASE OF $62,500 AND THIS IS HYPOTHETICALLY SPEAKING.AS PEOPLE IN THE RACING FATERNITY KNOW ..THIS IS PITTANCE BASED ON JAMAICAS DAILY ECONOMIC TANGLES AND TWIST,,I KNOW MR SOLOMON SHARPE KNOWS THIS AS A OWNER HIMSELF