Guyana Cup organisers vow safety after jockey’s death

Organisers of the Guyana Cup horse racing meet pledged to strengthen safety measures after 18-year-old jockey Kishawn Pereira died following a fall during Sunday’s event.

Pereira was injured in Race 10, just before the feature event, and was rushed to hospital after on-site paramedics responded. He did not survive, the Jumbo Jet Thoroughbred Racing Committee said in a statement.

“For the past 17 years of hosting the Guyana Cup, we have prided ourselves on running safe and incident-free events. This makes today’s tragedy even more difficult,” the committee said, adding that light showers earlier in the day may have left unseen soft spots on the track.

The committee also described Pereira as a promising young rider and extended condolences to his family, while urging the public and media to respect their privacy.