Orville Clarke, Freelance Writer

Ricardo Bartley (right) hugs Jason Simpson after the stable apprentice won the fourth race aboard RICKAYBA at Caymanas Park on Saturday. - Colin Hamilton/Freelance Photographer

Most youngsters gravitate towards one sport and try to be good at it. The popular choices are football, track and field, cricket and, of course, basketball.

But schoolboys in general seldom indulge in sports as diverse as cricket and horse racing. Ricardo Bartley is torn between both.

Ricardo, the 15-year-old son of three-time champion jockey Hubert Bartley, has shown a passion for cricket since the age of 10 and racing, it could be said, is in his blood.

The Kingston College (KC) fifth former represents his school at cricket and is the present captain of the colts' team.

A hard-hitting opening batsman, Bartley was the only youngster to score a century at the annual cricket camp run by former Jamaica batsman Renford Pinnock, O.D., at Chedwin Park last summer.

Real thrill

That provided a real thrill for the youngster. But an even bigger thrill came at Caymanas Park on Saturday when the horse named after him, RICKAYBA, won the fourth race over 1200 metres in a driving finish with stable apprentice Jason Simpson aboard.

RICKAYBA is owned jointly by his grandparents - trainer Vin Edwards and his wife Monica - with whom he resides in Edgewater, Portmore.

A bay colt by Latin Charm out of Northern Path, RICKAYBA had previously won for the first time on Wednesday, November 22. But Bartley was not present at the track to lead back the horse that day as he was in school at the time.

On Saturday, he not only saddled RICKAYBA in the presence of the trainer, but proudly posed with the horse inside the winners' enclosure after the race.

Earlier in the afternoon, Bartley also had the pleasure of leading in first race winner, CHIEF COUNCILLOR, owned and trained by close family friend Lee Clarke, who is the Deputy Mayor of Kingston.

"I enjoy both sports and would like to become closely involved with them on leaving school," Bartley confessed.

"If my batting improves in the next couple of years, I would like to progress to the point where I would play cricket for the West Indies. That is one of my goals.

"Professionally, I would like to become a vet but this would mean beating the books. Right now my plan is to go on to sixth form in September and take it from there.

"During my spare time I will continue to play cricket and assist my grandfather with the horses. It brings joy to my heart when the stable wins races with horses like Rickayba, Bombay Princess, Razz-Bug and Hey Train," explained this focused young man who also plays Minor Cup cricket for St. Catherine Cricket Club and Ken's Wildflower in the Portmore Metropolitan Sunday League.

Cricket and racing

According to Edwards, 'Ricky' loves both sports, but one day he might have to choose between cricket and racing.

"I have taught him a lot about them. I started coaching him from a tender age in cricket and during the past two years he has shown a lot of promise.

"I vividly remember his first match for KC in the Pepsi Under-14 competition when he make 'ducks' against Calabar and was very disappointed. But I encouraged him and after many practice sessions, his batting has improved tremendously.

"Although I believe he is more than ready to play on the senior team (Grace Shield) at KC, cricket coach Roy McLean has recognised his leadership qualities and felt his development would be better served as captain of the colts' team this year," said the outspoken president of the Jamaica Racehorse Trainers' Association (JRTA).

"While it is good to encourage young people to play sports, I think it is more important to stress the need for a good, sound education for that will never leave you. I have never failed to instil this into him and right now he's doing very well academically," he added.