TRAINERS are calling for the re-introduction of “stickers” to avoid racing from being removed from the turf on a weekly basis.

This is one of the proposals trainers are going to put forward at a meeting next Thursday.

The trainers also want concensus on the suggestion to withdraw horses that are shifted to the main track after being entered for turf races.

Turf races have been affected since the start of the rainy season because jockeys argue that the slippery track poses a danger to their lives and their mounts.

Last Saturday only one of the five turf races were run off in the previous week, all four races were shifted to the sand track.

The jockeys complained after the first turf race on Saturday that the track was unsuitable and they were not prepared to ride, resulting in the Stewards shifting the other four events to the main track (sand).

But most trainers were of the opinion that the underfoot conditions were not dangerous and described the track as good-to-soft.

“If the jockeys say they are not riding, we have to go with that decision,” one steward said.

Owner/trainer Maniram “Boboy” said there is a special shoe -- “jar-chalks” which is designed for when the grass track is soft.

“The shoe prevents horses from slipping when it is soft,” he noted.

Trainers say that before racing was centralised at Arima, horses used to race only on the grass at the three racing centres -- Port of Spain, Union Park and Arima and trainers were allowed to use “stickers.”

“Horses use to plough through the soft going and jockeys would come back covered with mud but they would still ride,” one trainer said.

Maharaj said former top trainer Joe Hadeed (now chairman of the Trinidad and Tobago Racing Authority) started a campaign against using “jar-chalks” when racing was centralised at Arima saying that the special shoe would damage both the turf and sand tracks.

Trainers say that if they are not allowed to use “jar-chalks” they would be forced to enter their horses for turf only (TO) and if the race is shifted to the main track their horses would not be eligible to run.

This could mean that some races could end up with just two of three runners and jockeys would be without a ride in the event.

Since the turf track was laid down years ago, there has been problems with the uneven surface and certain areas become waterlogged after heavy downpours.

There are problems also during the dry season because of the absence of sprinklers to water the track.

The ARC has blamed the problem on poor drainage around the track for the surface to quickly dry out.