( TOP L - R ) Feanny, Edwards ( BTM L - R )Ennevor, Williams
Tomorrow Marks the annual Jamaica Racehorse Trainers' Association (JRTA) Raceday at Caymanas Park and in keeping with the day's activities, four trainers will be publicly honoured by the association.
They are 14-time champion Philip Feanny, JRTA's president Vin Edwards along with Noel Ennevor and Ivanhoe 'Skit' Williams - all veterans.
Philip Feanny, recognised as the most accomplished trainer in the history of local racing, has been training since the mid-70s and won his first championship in 1981 with 80 winners and $522,235 in stakes, and the most recent in 2004 with 55 winners and $32.2 million.
Feanny, who turns 55 on December 22, has been associated with some truly outstanding horses including three-time 'Horse of the Year' THE VICEROY, many-time champion sprinter EROS, KAZ HOSHAY, HELLO POOCHIE LIU, PRINCE CONSORT, TEM-PERENCE OAKS, MILLIGRAM, VESTIA, A KING IS BORN, DISTINCTLY IRISH and I'MSATISFIED.
Feanny is a 'Hall of Fame' inductee, a recipient of the coveted None Such award for lifetime achievement and also holds the National Honour, the Order of Distinction (O.D).To date he has saddled 1,714 winners, the most by any trainer.
VIN EDWARDS, former Member of Parliament for West St. Mary, also been training horses for over 30 years and was one of the country's top trainers in the mid-80s. During that period, he conditioned the island's top sprinter DYE JOB ('Horse of the Year' in 1985) and the top stayer, COUNTRY ACT, not to mention the unbeaten American horse SECRET who romped the 1985 Benson & Hedges Gold Cup, the 1000 Guineas winners LIZNER and WHO'S THAT GIRL, as well as the imported filly ANGELBERGER BABY.
Edwards was voted the most improved trainer in 1985 no longer among the top trainers, the former politician is enjoying his best season for some time, having saddled 11 winners so far this year.
A cousin of two-time champion trainer and former JRC chairman Ren Gonsalves (now deceased), Edwards was conferred with the Order of Distinction on October 15 (Heroes Day) for services to horse racing and community service. His career tally stands at 220.
NOEL ENNEVOR has been training for 40 years and has achieved notable success with horses such as JACK HORNER, MR. JACQUES, STEVEDORE'S DEB, FLY A KITE. MINISTER'S BOY, MEDICAL ACCOUNT and the 2006 Governor's Cup and St. Leger St. ALLIEDFORCE.
The quiet and unassuming 60-year-old trainer notched his first winner, MOUNTAIN BOY in the late 60s with then apprentice Vassel Najair aboard. Ennevor, who has saddled over 400 winners, is currently eighth in the 2007 standings with close to $8 million in stakes.
IVANHOE 'SKIT' WILLIAMS was head of The Gleaner photo-graphy department during the 50s. He gave it up years later to become a trainer and has been at it for over 30 years. Now 76, 'Skit' is still active with a small string of horses and has no plans of retiring anytime soon.
To date, he has saddled 140 winners, including the celebrated 'F' class sprinter GOLDEN PEGASUS, who won 21 races from a record 232 starts, a record which still stands.
Other winning horses saddled by Williams include NICODEMUS, ROYAL SKI, ALLEGRO, RA-DIANT BRIDE, SLEW'S MAGIC, WINLOC SUPERSTAR, RAJMIR, PHYSICS BOOK and his most recent winner, PETITE DIVA.
- O. C.
