Defending champion Easy Time will run from the outside 12-gate in the 1,600m Banks DIH-sponsored Guyana Cup main race at the Rising Sun Turf Club, West Berbice, on August 11.
Easy Time’s newly imported USA-bred stablemate Stat will leave from the inside one-gate in the prestigious event, organised by the Jumbo Jet Thoroughbred Racing Committee.
The feature showdown carries a record purse of US$53, 819.
The Master Z-owned six-year-old Kentucky-bred Easy Time, a son of Not Time/Rushing Falls, will have regular jockey Colin Ross on the saddle with Nasrudeen Mohamed Jr. the trainer.
The 32-year-old Mohamed Jr. could become the first trainer since the initial running of this event in 2007 to record a hat-trick of wins in this marquee event after the successes of Alado and Easy Time in 2022 and 2023.
Commenting on the draw for Easy Time and Stat, Mohamed Jr. said: “I saw the jockey, (Colin Ross) had a different look. Stat got a good draw. He has the speed. It is a very competitive race, as the horses entered in this race, are Stakes or Graded placed. This year’s running is the most competitive Guyana Cup ever run off. I wish every owner of horses entered in the race the best of luck.”
Veteran trainer Fazal Habibulla’s horses won on three occasions, but never the hat-trick, while senior trainer Colin Elcock has scored back-to-back successes.
Therbhuwan Jagdeo, who won the inaugural event with Ice Follies in 2007, will have Loyal Company (Gate Three) and OyVey (Gate 10) battling for top honours.
Young Jayden, the son of Therbhuwan, spoke of the two entries. “They are exercising good so far. They have settled in well. The competition is good. The defending champion Easy Time will be the horse I think, but I am confident about our horses.”
Horse-owner Dennis Deoroop added: “The draw is not bad. I prefer the outside, because if you miss you get closed, as it is a full gate of 12. The competition (has) a lot of newly imported, very good horses. I still believe the horses that are here, and have acclimatized, are the ones. I think Easy Time is the horse (to beat), and recently won at Port Mourant and as I said the horses that settled in, like Bossalina. The track conditions are different for them (the imported horses). Apart from the weather the horses are okay.”
Deleep Esreepersaud, owner/trainer of Bossalina, the queen of Mahaica Creek, sharing his candid opinion on the draw, and the competition said: “The competition is going to be very tight. The draw gate two is fine. I do not see any threat. It will be a gate-to-wire win.”
The 2024 Guyana Cup will start at noon with over G$40m in cash and prizes at stake.
The Jumbo Jet Thoroughbred Racing Committee has also added a children’s fun park and the biggest DJ competition that will take centre stage after the feature race.
