SVREL, URTA to meet on purse deduction
Published:Monday | July 20, 2020 | 12:25 AMRobert Bailey/Gleaner Writer
A showdown is expected this afternoon between Supreme Ventures Racing and Entertainment Limited (SVREL) and the United Racehorse Trainers Association (URTA) as the latter seeks to have the promoting company reverse its decision to deduct $4.3 million from the purse money for the month of June.
The decision to recover money is for operational costs incurred by SVREL during the COVID-19 lockdown.
This would be done through reducing the purse money offered on races. As part of the deal, a memorandum of understanding was agreed with industry regulators.
ANXIOUS TO MEET
URTA President Ryan Darby said they are eager for the meeting today as they seek to have Supreme Ventures change its decision about deducting money from the purse for June.
“The expectations will be that Supreme Ventures will listen to the cry of the stakeholders who have had a difficult four months,” Darby said.
“We are on our knees crying for compassion in whatever form or way this can be forwarded to us, and a very clear path would be that they will withdraw the bill so that we can take the sport forward.
“We have never had a problem getting an audience from them because this is affecting a lot of people, and the cry from the stakeholders is very loud, and we are hoping that they will listen and have a charge of heart come Monday.”
However, SVREL General Manager Lorna Gooden said that they would try their best to accommodate the horsemen today.
“At this point, we had conceded to taking the value down to half of $4.3 million, and that is what is on the table now,” she said. “On Monday, we will be having a discussion with the horsemen, and we are hoping that at the end of that meeting, we will come to an amicable agreed position.
“I am expecting positive results, and I hope that the horsemen will come with their facts and be willing to listen and reason and not just be about fighting because we are not here to fight.”