Twenty Thousand dollars up for grabs for Dan Bartlette Memorial Stakes

ZIZ News…Sept 13 2012 — Approximately $20,000.00 is up for grabs for the upcoming Dan Bartlette Memorial Stakes meet slated for Monday 17th September. This was revealed on Wednesday by Treasurer of the Nevis Turf and Jockey Club, Allister Thompson, during a press conference held by his Association. The press conference was held at the office of disaster management located at Long Point, with a number of media houses in attendance.

Thompson also went on to assure the general public that a lot of attention is being paid to security and parking issues and stopped short of saying that patrons to the event will be screened for offensive weapons but intimated that ‘they may be a little inconvenienced and may have to stay a little longer at the entrance gate but that it was all in an effort to ensure that they are safe and comfortable.’ He also indicated that additional parking space is currently being prepared for the big day which is expected to attract the biggest horse racing crowd for the entire year. ‘Put it this way, if you attended all of the other horse race meets held for the year so far and you miss this one—you would have missed all,’ he stated passionately.

Thompson was also given the privilege by President of the Club, Emmanuel Jeffers to speak to the Awards banquet slated for the OCCASIONS Entertainment Center, this coming Saturday night—15th September. The event will be held from 7-9 pm followed by a social event which continue late into the night.

Thompson noted that the idea was born out of the fact that even though Horse racing stalwarts are honoured on an annual basis during the major event, the spectators are not too involved as there are so many other things to hold their attention and so this year it was decided that the awards will be held as a separate function. Persons attending will only pay $75.00 EC for a three course buffet dinner which will be preceded by the awarding of five Horse racing stalwarts on the island:

• Analdo Chiverton—Administrator/Sponsor and Horse owner

• Laughton France—Owner/Trainer

• Reuben ”Braddy’ Morris—Owner/Trainer

• Brem Liburd—long serving Jockey for 21 consecutive years

• Anthony Walters-former Jockey

He also pointed to some magnificently designed trophies on display at the press conference which will be officially handed over to the esteemed gentlemen on Saturday night.

He also took time out to salute all of the sponsors of the event which included Choice radio; VON radio; Hermitage stables; TDC; International Source and Supply; ECGC; Brown Hill Communications; Digicel; Carib Breweries; Nevis Bakery; Beaumont Park and others.

He also warned all interested vendors to pay their vendors’ fees well in advance of race day as no fees will be collected on the big day.

He noted in the words of the well known comedian Sanford: “This is the big one!’

President Emmanuel Jeffers in response to a question noted that the Dan Bartlette Memorial Stakes is the ‘signature event’ of his Association each year. It is the only race meet that receives such tremendous sponsorship and therefore receives the extra hype. He noted that the event was started three years ago in order to commemorate the contributions of the late Dan Bartlette to Horse racing on Nevis.

He is confident that with all of the grudge matches slated for the big day, it will be real excitement from race one to race five. He advised the general public to be early as it is hoped that the first race will commence promptly at 2.30 pm and stated the most anticipated race of the day, which features horses such as Mr. Big Pepe, REAL ASPECTATION and OBAMA, will not be the final race of the day.

Also seated at the Head table was Mr. Ricky Liburd, the Manager at the Government owned Supply Office who represented two of the major sponsors of the event— International Source and Supply out of Florida and ECGC out of St.Vincent. He officially handed over cheques to the amount of $4,005.00 and $5,000.00 respectively on behalf of the two companies. President Jeffers in accepting the cheques extended his gratitude to the two companies on behalf of his Association and looked forward to a long and fruitful partnership with them in his Association’s endeavour to make Horse racing the number one sport on the island.

Mr. John Guilbert, Secretary of the Association took time out to give an unofficial line up of the horses scheduled to run on Monday and noted that there will be 23 horses in total on the track with the feature race of the day having a full house of six horses.

Representatives of the various stables and Jockeys were also on hand and gave their opinions as to what the general public can expect, come Monday. All of them to man, expressed confidence that their particular horse or horses will be victorious on the big day. Popular character ‘DA-DA’ Dore of the Dore brothers’ stable quizzed Allister Thompson who is the owner of Mr. Big Pepe about his prediction for places in the main event. “I am not a miracle man but I can tell you that Mr. Big Pepe will be in first place,’ responded Thompson.

‘So who will be second?’ insisted ‘Da-Da.’ ‘Well, maybe OBAMA, if he gets started teased Thompson.

From all indications, the tension at the Indian Castle race track is at an all time high as the stable hands commit to their final preparations for the big day. By the look of things even though the gates will open at 1 pm, it may be best for persons to begin heading down by 12.00 noon in order to get a good view of the races.

All talk will cease on Monday 17th September.