By Orville Clarke, Freelance Writer
Karin Cooper (right), manager of overseas publications and product improvement of The Gleaner Company, hands over the Star Trophy to Rose Campbell, CEO and president of Caymanas Track Limited, yesterday at the Hilton Hotel, New Kingston. The Star newspaper and Track & Pools will sponsor the March 9 race meet at Caymanas Park. - Ian Allen/Staff Photographer
SATURDAY, MARCH 9 has been designated 'The Star in the Park' day at Caymanas Park, as The Gleaner Company and Caymanas Track Limited (CTL) come together for another in a long list of sponsored days on the racing calendar.
Plans for the Star/Track and Pools race meet were outlined by representatives of The Gleaner Company and CTL at a press conference yesterday at the Hilton Hotel, New Kingston.
The feature event will be the Star Trophy, an overnight allowance contest over the circular nine course which offers an increased purse of $365,000. The Gleaner Company Limited is contributing $250,000 to the race day, of which $100,000 will go towards the purse.
CTL's executive manager of racing, Karl Angell, said the overnight allowance class was chosen for "it is one of the most competitive classes in racing".
He went on to list a number of prospective starters including HEART THROB, RICH BETTOR, PATAS DE FUEGO, KYLE'S DIVA, LSC CHOICE, MINISTER'S DELIGHT, PROCEEDACCORDNGLY, REVIEWING, FABRIKATOR, BISTRO and VISIONARY.
Angell also praised The Star and also spoke highly of Track & Pools race book, noting it has become the main racing publication as it offers more than mere formlines, but big photos of players in the industry and good stories. "Join us at the park", he said in closing, "The Star is there".
Also speaking were Richard Ashenheim, vice chairman of the Gleaner Company Limited; Karin Cooper, manager of Gleaner overseas publications and product improvement; Norman Marshall, circulation manager; Leighton Levy, news editor Star; Rose Campbell, CEO and president of CTL and the company's executive manager of marketing, Millicent Lynch who disclosed that the popular Kiddies Stables will be on at Caymanas Park on March 9, this sponsored by Children's Own, a Gleaner publication.
Ashenheim, himself a veteran racing man and Hall of Fame inductee in the sport, noted in his address that The Gleaner Company through its publications gives more publicity to racing than any other print media and perhaps any other media in the country".
He recalled that The Gleaner Company had sponsored a race meeting in September, 1984 and the feature race then, the Gleaner 150th Anniversary Trophy, had to be divided into two sections due to the large number of entries.
"It's a great pleasure to endorse the promotion of this race meet. I hope it will not take us another 18 years to sponsor another race meeting by the Gleaner Company Limited".
In her address, Campbell welcomed the Gleaner Company on board in its role as a new sponsor.
"The company has for decades reported on and therefore provided publicity for the Sport of Kings for which we as promoters could never pay. I would like to take this opportunity to publicly thank The Gleaner Company for its contribution to the development of horse racing in Jamaica.
"I am positive that with the marketing power of the giant that The Gleaner Company is, and with our own marketing thrust at CTL, the raceday will be a tremendous success", said Campbell who stressed the new culture of a family entertainment centre which is taking hold at Caymanas Park.
George Nooks, the Star 2001 Entertainer of the Year, will highlight the musical activities. There will also be a Star DJ contest.
