TRAINERS and grooms are calling on the Arima Race Club (ARC) to address urgently some of the problems they face in the paddock.

They claim the heavy rains are posing a danger to horses because of the large potholes, filled with water from the inclement weather being experienced over the past few weeks.

The stagnant water can also infect the hooves of the horses.

The paddock is also a breeding ground for cats and dogs.

For months now, trainers have been pleading with the ARC to resurface the paddock, but they were told that money is the problem.

The grooms have also been complaining about their stand which is leaking and pieces of rusting galvanise hanging dangerously from the roof. During heavy rains, accompanied by high winds, trainers said the galvanise can blow off, injuring grooms and horses in the paddock.

Grooms said that the stand had been in disrepair for about two years now.

During the recent media Tipsters Award function at the Valpark Chinese Restaurant, Valsayn, trainer Douglas Bennett raised the issue of the condition of the paddock with chairman of the Betting Levy Board (BLB).

The paddock area covered with potholes,
filled with water and overrun with cats.

The dilapidated groom’s stand, with pieces
of hanging rusted galvanise and old
broken chairs.

The ARC has been heavily dependent on the BLB to pay most of its bills.

Gerard Ferreira told TnT Mirror that the ARC had an estimate of $400,000 to resurface the paddock, but they do not have the funds.

He said the groom’s stand is in a dilapidated condition and is in dire need of repairs.

He said the ARC wants to remove the entire roof of the stand, but that also is a costly project.