Stakeholders in the racing industry have endorsed Sunday racing as an innovation that should be successful in the long run.

Among the converts is Vin Edwards, president of the Jamaica Racehorse Trainers' Association.

"Unlike the Friday/Saturday experiment which failed some years ago, Sunday should be good for it is not a working day.

"Indeed, back-to-back race meets on Saturday and Sunday should pay rich dividends for the promoters, in that they are both non-working days.

"As a trainer whose wife owns a number of horses, I totally support Sunday racing. However, the promoting company, Caymanas Track Limited, must have a monopoly on the day's activities. They should have that day to themselves.

"It's the only way I feel it will be economically viable to the industry and for this reason I'm definitely against giving the green light to the bookmakers to operate on that day," said the outspoken trainer.

When it was put to Edwards that there is a school of thought that says in the absence of the licensed bookmakers the under-ground bookies will move in to fill the void, his reply was: "There must be strong and sustained enforcement of the law against the illegal bookmakers. They cannot be allowed to tap into the betting dollar on that day, as this would be to the detriment of the promoting company," he added.

Turning to the outcry of the churches, Edwards said: "The church has no moral authority to talk about gambling, as there is nothing in the Bible against gambling.

"What the Church should do is to come to Caymanas Park and help those persons who are addicted to drugs and alcohol. That would be more meaningful than coming out against Sunday racing."

an innovation

Also adding their voices to the debate were Howard Hamilton, president of the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association of Jamaica, and Paul Pancho, president of the Grooms' Association of Jamaica.

"I think Sunday racing is an innovation that will work if promoted as a day for the family to come to the track and enjoy the races," said Hamilton, a two-time champion owner who is also part-owner of HAM Stables Limited, the island's largest stud farm.

"Unlike Saturday racing, it should have a picnic atmosphere featuring rides for children and other fun activities similar to what transpires at the Kiddies stables," he explained.

Continuing, Hamilton agreed with Edwards that the bookmakers should be excluded, claiming that the "promoters get nothing from the operations of the bookmakers".

Depending on how successful the two scheduled Sunday meets are promoted this year, Hamilton said CTL should go full steam ahead with the promotion next year, as Sunday racing has become the norm in nearly all the major democratic countries of the world.

Paul Pancho, head of the Grooms' Association, had this to say: "I don't have a problem with Sunday racing, but it should be promoted as family entertainment. I hope the promoters in their wisdom would look at the game and ensure that it fits their slogan, 'the Ultimate Family Entertainment'.

"The racing from time to time should be supplemented by stage shows and other forms of entertainment. The product will have to be diversified, to some extent, in order to ensure that Sunday racing is a success."

In so far as the bookmakers are concerned, Pancho believes they need to lobby the government to change the regulations so they can operate on that day. "But that's not my call to make," he was quick to add.

- Orville Clarke