Neil Cochrane: Horse Racing Stock Has Dwindled Since Covid, Track Issues

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Neil Cochrane leads thoroughbred Syrian Soca to the starting gates during a previous meet (File photo)
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By Neto Baptiste

The two years of inactivity brought on by the Covid 19 pandemic coupled with obstacles encountered during ongoing upgrades to the Cassada Gardens Racetrack, has significantly contributed to the depletion of the country’s horse racing stock.

This is the opinion of president of the Antigua Turf Club (ATC) and horse owner, Neil Cochrane, who said the absence of competitive races has not been kind to the horses.

“We try to send some horses over to Barbuda to try and keep things going but once you see there is a delay, then just the whole Covid for two years would cause you to lose racing stock. When I say lose I mean the fillies and mares turn into mothers and the stallions are just there while some horses retire and some of them get old,” he said.

Earlier this week, Cochrane blamed delays in the acquiring of some material coupled with the unavailability of key equipment managed by the Public Works Department for the slow pace of redevelopment work at the racetrack.

There have been no competitive races at the facility since work began in June of 2022, leaving horse owners with no avenue through which to run their horses.

Cochrane assured, however, that the availability of horses will not be a major issue once work is completed at the track and races restart.

“There is a new stock of nice local thoroughbreds that are there and we have quite a few of them but in terms of the international stock, that is something that would have to come back in, and once racing starts the horses will come in. We have been talking to the BVI and there is no racing in the BVI, there is no racing in the USVI, there is no racing in St Kitts, there is no racing in Nevis, but there are horses in the US and British Virgin, so we have been having a discussion with them over the last six to eight weeks for their horses to come,” he said.

Work began at the country’s lone horse racing facility in the middle of last year with plans to in place to improve the surface while installing new rails with hopes of also improving the layout of the track.

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