ARC president hopeful for fans return

PRESIDENT OF the Arima Race Club (ARC), Robert Bernard, is hopeful that fans will be able to return to the Santa Rosa Park, Arima, to offset the ARC’s lack of revenue, due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Horseracing resumed in TT in June, following a three-month delay due the covid19 lockdown. But no fans have been allowed at the venue, in keeping with covid19 restrictions.

In a recent interview, Bernard said, “We’re still affected by it because we cannot have crowds and we cannot have patrons. We have had horse racing up until Republic Day, with the Guineas. Our next race day will be October 17.”

Referring to the second stage of local covid19 restrictions, which is set to end on Sunday, Bernard noted, “The Prime Minister is going to be addressing the nation (this week) and I’m hoping that he would give us a little more slack, where we can indeed have patrons. Our revenue is down by about 70 per cent so it’s very difficult.”

A few international sporting events are allowing partial fans, including the French Open and German Bundesliga.

Bernard said, “The Barbados Turf Club will be opening up their season on October 24 and I was talking with them, and they will be allowed to have spectators. It will be limited on the Grand Stand, with social distancing.

“We have to try to do something to get things moving again because everybody is dying slowly but surely.”

Touching on the ARC office at the Santa Rosa Park, which was gutted by fire in August, Bernard mentioned, “We’ve started work on the office. We’ve been removing the old galvanise.

“I’m hoping by (this) weekend, the roof would at least be up, and we’ll start with the internal works thereafter.”