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The Barbados Turf Club, T 4263980. Holds flat race meetings at the Garrison on Saturdays during three seasons (January to March, May to October and November to December). The biggest one being the Sandy Lane Gold cup held in March, which features horses from neighbouring islands. Again, this is something of a social occasion, with parties, parades and concerts. The Royal Barbados Mounted Police band leads a parade of dancers, tumblers and stiltmen in carnival fashion and calypsonian Mac Fingall whips up the crowd with his own brand of fun, as he does at cricket matches. Horse racing dates back to colonial days when planters challenged each other to races. Later the cavalry officers of the British army joined in and by 1840 there were regular race days at the Garrison. If you can’t get to a race meet you can watch training sessions at the Garrison just after 0600 when the weather is still cool. Races are held in the heat of the day from 1330. Admission to the grandstand is US$5 but you can get a good view from various points around the track where there are betting shops and food and drink stalls. The track is just under a mile long, oval shaped with a two-furlong finishing straight.
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