Horseracing: RTC Governor's Cup on Saturday

Founder Chief Executive Officer of the Royal Turf Club (RTC), Wayne Wood has returned to Sri Lanka to make his contribution as the Stipendiary Steward at the RTC Governor's Cup on Saturday (29). 

Wood, who has a wealth of knowledge in horse racing after being involved in the sport as trainer and administrator for over 50 years, believes the concluding raceday of the April Holiday Season would provide an attractive programme with a slightly changed set-up. 

A total of seven races have been lined up for the day with 49 horses expected to be in action under six categories. 

For the first time in its short history, the RTC have combined the two topmost categories -- the Class 1 and Class 2 -- under Terms, which will be an Open Class. 

Wood explained the on the decision to combined the two classes. 

The two races that will run under 'Terms' will be the Queen's Cup and the RTC Governor's Cup. 

"There's not much of a difference in the Classes of 1 and 2 horses. The difference will be the distance though, some horses prefer long distance while some are very good in short distance races. To make these races evenly poised seven horses each will run in the two races, which makes it a definite attraction," Wood stated.

The Queen's Cup will be a 2000metre race with long distance expert Meheran, who won RTC's Magic Million Cup race after a thriller edging top favourite Alcazaba, taking the spotlight. 

Other horses lined up are Roswald, Sun Kingdom, Celestial Fire, Arrabian Gold, Captain Haddock and Colorato. 

The main race event of the day, the RTC Governor's Cup will be a 1600metre race where Alcazaba could regain its winning form. 

The challenges it could face can come from in-form Kingston, who had won two races out of two during the April Season and Charlemagne, the close contender who had to finish among the top three in the main races of the previous two outings. 

Others running with the intention of making an upset are Brilliant Cut, Chul Bul Pandy, Santos and Silver Streak. 

The day will set off with the HNB Grameen Cup Class 5 race with the distance of 1070metres where none horses will battle it out. 

The second race will also be a 1070metre run for Class 4 thoroughbreds for the Blackpool Hotel Cup where nine runners are featured. 

The third race, one before the two Open events, is the Hi Magazine Cup for Class 5 thoroughbreds. Six runners will compete in the 1400metre race. 

The sixth race, a 1400metre Class 3 run for the Highway and Higher Education Ministry Cup, will feature four horses. 

The final race, a 1000metre 1/2 bred race for the RTC Poly Welfare Raffle Cup, will have seven runners. 

"We have had two successful racedays so far during the April Holiday Season and we surely hope the final of it, the RTC Governor's Cup, will provide the much expected thrills and fills as a perfect windup of a wonderful five week programme. The feedbacks we are getting on the previous two races are outstanding, and we are really contended that both racedays have managed to reach the masses, taking horse racing to a much bigger audience. With the success of these three races the RTC will be able to come out with much bigger plans again after a brief recess, by August," RTC President Panduka Keerthinanda stated. 

The RTC, formed two years ago, has been working excessively to restore horse racing as one of the popular leisure sports in the region. 

The RTC has been able to obtain services of international experts such as Wood, Sinclair Marshall, Dr. Jayachandra Balaji and Nikhil Punna to take the sport a step further during this short period. 

Wood, who has been with the RTC since its inception, was highly optimistic that horse racing will thrive and reach its pinnacle if a set plan is followed. 

"At the beginning it will be an evolution, and there will be changes from time to time. I have been involved in races for years in Australia and other parts of the world for 50 plus years or so, and I have seen even in Australia it took time to reach the current standards. In Sri Lanka too it is a possibility, there will be progress here as well, but you need a unified plan to take things forward. It will take time but what can be expected will be definitely good and satisfactory in the end. As for this Saturday, everything is in good order with a very attractive programme and all is set for a fine day of horse racing," Wood detailed.