The eyes of the entire world are centred squarely on Brazil at this moment as the World Cup rises to its crescendo. While most Trinidadians continue to support Brazil in its quest to secure a sixth world title, there are a number of analogies between what is happening in Brazil at the moment and the horse racing industry in Trinidad and Tobago. While Brazil falters, FIFA prospers.
The World Cup is estimated to have cost Brazil in excess of US$11 billion, making it the most expensive games in its 84 year history. In spite of this cost, extensive public protests prior to the commencement of the games suggest that the promised improvements in public infrastructure and the general living conditions of Brazilians has not been improved.
Interestingly, this is not too dissimilar to what is happening at the Arima Race Club, though the funds available are considerably less. The ARC’s budget continues to reflect significant expenditure on maintenance but no real improvement in the standard of the facilities are being seen. The Main Stand of the track is in a deplorable state and the conditions in the paddock are disappointing. One is left to wonder if there is much inspection undertaken by the OSHA personnel, since some of the physical infrastructure must surely be below standard. While the sport is not self-sufficient enough to be able to afford all that is required in one go, a better schedule of targeted improvements would signal intent and lay the foundation for a more hopeful future. Outsiders to the fore as favourites fall. The 2014 World Cup has been most notable for the disappointments of traditional football powerhouses.
The likes of 2010 World Champion, Spain, England, Italy, Ivory Coast and Portugal have already bitten the dust. Unheralded teams such as Costa Rica, Colombia and Chile have surged ahead in the South American heat. The unexpected demise of favourites is a regular occurrence in the sport of horse racing locally. Many times these defeats appear inexplicable. Punters are advised that connections were called to explain the turnaround in the performance of their charges but on most occasions, the explanations given are noted. Noted—I doubt anyone is really sure what noting the explanation was meant to achieve. On some occasions, infrastructural changes result in weird results. Recently, prior to Midsummer Classic day, the surface of the track was re-graded resulting in a significant bias to front runners and horses racing close to the rails. The existence of this bias was only known to a few.
When Rosies Dream got to the lead and was unable to be headed resulting in the second longest shot winner in a six month period, most punters were left bemused. The fact however that one trainer accounted for both those long shot winners was also not lost on punters, even if it may have been transparent to those in authority. Was it the track bias or the skillful placing of the trainer…few will ever really know. Form is temporary, Class is permanent. Notwithstanding the demise of some of the favourites and the rise of outsiders, there remains little doubt in the mind of most football fanatics that the winner of the World Cup will come from one of a few teams—Brazil, Netherlands, France, Germany or Argentina. These are the remaining class teams in the competition, and with the exception of the Netherlands, prior World Cup winners.
Any one of these teams may be beatable in any given game but they won’t all be beaten at the same tournament. A similar situation prevails on the race track at Santa Rosa as was most clearly illustrated during the running of the Arima Race Club Cup. Undoubtedly the likes of J’ouvert and Bigman in Town are quality animals, but many quality animals have raced in Trinidad and Tobago. Very few truly exceptional animals have raced in Trinidad and Tobago and the two horses mentioned do not fall into that category. Good horses yes, champions, an emphatic no. When six-year-old Readbetweenthelines was able to call on his past class, to hold off the younger animals, it revealed the holes in their respective resumes that many had long suspected, notwithstanding the form shown.
In the case of the Bigman, an impressive win over the top class when receiving in excess of 6 kilos was always unlikely to be repeated when only in receipt of 1 kilo, unless he was exceptional. Some commentators have attributed his defeat to the distance, time will tell, because he will have to compete against the top class horses with this sort of weight going forward. He will surely win some and lose some but he will never be another Bruceontheloose. J’ouvert is another good horse, though only his closest connections would think he was champion material.