 Back on the Sportsmax zone, we're switching our attention now to the sport of Kings. There has been much criticism of horse racing in Trinidad and Tobago in recent years, with many stakeholders expressing dissatisfaction with the state of Santa Rosa in Arima. Now one of the country's finest trainers, 20-time champion John O'Bran, is considering taking his talent outside of the country. O'Bran says he still loves the sport in the Twin Island Republic, but thinks it may be time for a change if things don't improve. Well, my hope is that racing in Trinidad recovers and finds its legs and gets back to where it was maybe 10 years ago, but you know, in the back of your mind, you always think that they have to be exploring other possibilities. And at this stage, my heart is still in Trinidad, but my thoughts could be abroad. Yeah, well, John O'Bran now joins us live via Zoom to talk more about that statement, which he gave us about a week and a half ago. John, we understand the issues in Trinidad and Tobago's racing at the moment. A stark reality is that your Dabu winner Momentum back in 2014 had a Dabu purse of 500,000 TNT dollars. Your Dabu win this year within the headlines was 115,000 dollars in purse. So things have nosedived in Trinidad and Tobago with regard to the purses in TNT. How bad is it and how frustrating it is for you as a trainer who has success and knows, you know, what the financial rewards were compared to what they are now? Well, the answer is you are aware we prior to COVID and in say 2014, 2015, we would have maybe between 36 and 40 races a year. And in this year, we're going to have 12, which is the stark reality of it. So you told us in that interview that you would not rule out leaving Trinidad and Tobago. What would have to happen for that development? Well, as I said, I love horse racing, but I also my heart and the able string is buried in Trinidad and I wouldn't I wouldn't really love to leave. But if there is no horse racing, we'll have to definitely have to explore possibilities elsewhere. So is there a possibility that racing could crash in TNT totally because it's it's in a coma at the moment? Is it possible that it could die? Well, at present, it's in the ICU and it could go one way or the other. And the all indications at this stage that we slowly sink in down. So we have to keep all our options open. The environment is not not not conducive and the regulations rule in recent local racing is is is poor. Yeah, and John, I was looking at one of the last purses, you know, as well as the number of horses that took part in that particular race. And it was really, really demotivating because when you think back about horse racing in Trinidad and Tobago and the rich history that horse racing had, you know, growing up, my grandfather really liked horse racing. And I would go down to the Arima race track just to support the turnout was massive, a lot of horses on the race cards. What do you think has been one of the reasons for this downturn and, you know, this dying of the industry? Well, there are a number of reasons, but it's a cumulative effect. What what really happened was that we we are we are dependent. We were dependent over the 20 years or 30 years on the revenue earned by the betting levy board, which where they get the revenue by a 10 percent taxation of the private betting shops and of local racing. And in there was at one time, there were 20 private betting shops. We are now presently down to six. So the drastic drop in revenue has created there is no revenue to support local horse racing. And I think that there is the reason why the betting shops reduced from 28 to six because of the proliferation of private members club running on casinos and also the online betting, which which is which is available to everybody worldwide and there is no revenue to get from it from for the for the from the betting levy board. The betting levy board gets no revenue from online betting. And John, saying that, you know, you made that comment about thinking about possible options. Have you thought about where maybe when I wouldn't like to say because it may compromise a lot of opportunities because there are there are a number of opportunities at this time. We see that a lot of riders have been steadily leaving TNT. Brand Boonram Singh, John, who writes for your have written has written for you is now in Canada doing well, actually won a stakes race this past weekend. The jockey colony in Trinidad and Tobago has also suffered in recent years, hasn't it? Yeah, we did last race day. We had I think the last race we had 12 horses in and one guy had to scratch his horse because there was no jockey available to ride it. Well, the good thing is for the next couple of months is that the guys the guys from Canada and a number of them have returned and even Brian himself is back in Trinidad. I think he came in last night and you may find him right in the next race day, because he is things and as you know, we are down south close. I think sent three mile closes sometime in early November. Yes, one thing actually, yeah, that's entry downs. All right, John, we have all been impressed with the work you have done as a racehorse trainer in Trinidad and Tobago. We know that you're also a pilot by profession, probably retired by now. But we would hate to see you leave Caribbean horse racing. So let's hope things improve in Trinidad and Tobago. And that racing is revived in some way, shape or form to keep John O'Bran at Santa Rosa Park. Well, I didn't say it was outside of the Caribbean. We're getting some hints, Lance. I said that deliberately, you know, because I was hoping that you would respond and you did. All right, John, well, we'll be in touch. And as we said, you know, as racing people in the Caribbean, you know, we have all embraced the K-Manus Park, Garrison Sabana and the Santa Rosa Park racing. And it's sad what's happening in TNT at the moment. Let's hope that things can improve. And we'll see racing revived in TNT. Thanks, John. Thank you very much, Lance. Have a good day. Yeah, back with more on the Sportsman Zone after this.