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One of Jamaica’s most successful rising football coaches, Haron Martin, widely known by his nickname “German”, has stepped into the top role as head coach of the Wolmer’s Boys’ School Under-19 football team, marking a major new chapter in his young coaching career. Taking over the post from long-serving veteran coach Jerome Waite, Martin has already laid out an ambitious roadmap to return the historic Jamaican school to the upper echelons of the country’s Inter-Secondary Schools Sports Association (ISSA) schoolboy football competition.

In an exclusive interview with the Jamaica Observer, Martin opened up about the significance of his new appointment, expressing deep gratitude for the opportunity to join one of Jamaica’s most prestigious educational institutions. “I’m very grateful for this opportunity to be a part of such a storied institution. I’m humbled, I thank God for this opening, and I will give everything I have to succeed on this new journey. This appointment means the world to me — this is the biggest role I have ever been trusted with as a coach,” Martin said.

At the core of Martin’s long-term vision is building a unified, recognizable playing identity across all of Wolmer’s Boys’ age-group football teams, from the youngest youth squads up to the Under-19 top level. He emphasized that this cohesive style, which he calls “the Wolmerian way”, will not only focus on winning matches but also nurture well-rounded student-athletes prepared for success off the pitch. “Our vision is for Wolmer’s football to have an identity that everyone can adore and admire. We win the Wolmerian way here. We aren’t just fielding teams — we are building student-athletes and molding these young boys for their future lives,” Martin explained. “Working alongside our experienced team of managers, who put in tireless work day in and day out, we believe the time has come for Wolmer’s to regain its competitive edge for many years to come. We will roll out this unified identity across all age groups, so the transition from Under-14 to Under-16, and then to Under-19, is seamless for our developing players.”

Martin’s track record at the youth level speaks for itself, making him a natural fit to lead the program’s turnaround. He first built his reputation as a championship-winning coach at Lannaman’s Prep, where he claimed top honors in both the prestigious Alberga Cup and Henriques Cup competitions. He later moved to Kingston College, where he led the school to multiple ISSA Under-14 titles, and served as assistant coach when Kingston College’s Under-19 squad lifted the coveted Flow Super Cup championship in 2017.

After joining the Wolmer’s Boys’ football program, Martin continued his winning streak, guiding the school’s 2023 Under-14 squad to an undefeated season that ended with both the urban and all-island championship titles. Beyond his work in school football, Martin also serves as technical director for the Norbrook Strikers club, and led Constant Spring to the 2023 KSAFA Under-13 championship just last year.

The biggest immediate challenge facing Martin in his new Under-19 role is ending a historic championship drought for Wolmer’s Boys: the school has not claimed the ISSA urban Manning Cup title since 1994, a dry spell that has stretched for more than 30 years. For the ambitious young coach, this opportunity is not just a chance to end the drought, but also a key milestone in growing his coaching brand. “I’m as ambitious as any coach looking to build their career and legacy, and I’m absolutely elated to get this chance. It motivates me more than ever to keep pushing forward,” Martin said.

Reiterating his long-term goals for the entire program, Martin noted that with support from Wolmer’s principal Dwight Pennycooke and long-time Wolmerian football supporters, the school is poised to reclaim its status as a dominant force across all age groups in Jamaican schoolboy football. “Wolmer’s is already the leading boys’ school in academics across Jamaica, and we want to match that same level of success on the football pitch. I fully stand behind the vision our principal has laid out for what the Wolmerian brand should represent,” Martin added.

Martin’s promotion to the Under-19 head coaching role has triggered a series of well-planned coaching changes across the lower age groups to strengthen the entire program. Delano Campbell will take over leadership of the Under-16 squad, while Raymond Leveridge steps into Martin’s old role as head of the Under-14 team. Lamar Brown will serve as the program’s dedicated goalkeeper coach, and Romone Lewis takes on the role of technical assistant coach. Martin emphasized that the entire coaching staff has a long-standing working relationship, putting collective success for the school above individual recognition. “All of us coaches at Wolmer’s have known each other for years, so there’s no ego here. It’s just a group of people working together to make Wolmer’s football a success,” he said.

On Saturday, May 23, 2026, four-time defending champion thoroughbred trainer Jason DaCosta delivered a masterclass demonstration of his elite horsemanship, solidifying his status at the top of his sport by saddling four victorious horses across a nine-race Jamaican racing card. DaCosta’s undefeated quartet of winners – Purosangue, Himaya, Fred The Master, and Eye of the Tiger – controlled the track from the opening to closing contests, turning the day’s event into a showcase of his training expertise. The most eye-catching performance of the day came from Purosangue, an American-bred three-year-old colt guided by jockey Tevin Foster, who claimed an explosive 8 ¼-length victory in the $1.05-million Maiden Special Weight race, open to both native-bred and imported three-year-olds over a one-mile (1,600-meter) distance. After breaking slowly out of the starting gate, the chestnut colt accelerated powerfully to claim the lead approaching the six-furlong (1,200-meter) mark and never surrendered his position, crossing the finish line 1:38.4 ahead of second-place Unbelievable Power (ridden by Ian Spence) and third-place Comuna Trece (ridden by Raddesh Roman). The race splits were recorded at 24.1 seconds for the first quarter-mile, 47.0 for the half-mile, 1:12.4 for three-quarters of a mile, and 1:25.4 for seven-eighths of a mile. In a post-race interview with the *Jamaica Observer’s Supreme Racing Guide*, DaCosta highlighted the young colt’s untapped potential, noting that Purosangue has consistently shown a preference for longer distance races and is developing at exactly the right time ahead of future competitions. “Today, he had to do all the work himself out front, but he will be even more effective when he can sit behind a faster early pace and make his move late,” DaCosta explained. “He’s a top-class long-distance prospect, and the racing world will be hearing a lot more from him moving forward. We’ll give him time to recover from this run, then target a race at the next higher class level for his next start.” The second of DaCosta’s four victories came in the $790,000 Optional Claiming event, open to three-year-olds and older, plus native-bred six-year-olds and older that have not won four races, contested over seven furlongs (1,400 meters). Ridden by jockey Shaheem Gordon, five-year-old roan mare Himaya mounted a thrilling late charge down the home stretch to edge out second-place finisher Sir Wong Don (ridden by Raddesh Roman) by a head at the finish line, crossing the wire in a time of 1:30.1, with intermediate splits of 23.2 and 47.4 for the first two splits and 1:15.1 for six furlongs. Money Box, ridden by Romane Gordon, rounded out the top three positions. Next, four-year-old American-bred bay colt Fred The Master claimed victory in the $1.19-million Restricted Stakes, a race restricted to imported three-year-olds and older that have not won three races, plus native-bred three- and four-year-olds that have not won four races, run over six furlongs. Jockey Robert Halledeen positioned Fred The Master at the front of the pack from the early going, and the colt never looked back, romping to a comfortable 5½-length win over second-place Mulligan Man (Jaheim Anderson) and third-place Star Quest (Shaheem Gordon), finishing the race in 1:12.2 with splits of 23.2, 47.2, and 59.3. DaCosta’s fourth win of the day came from three-year-old native-bred bay colt Eye of the Tiger, who turned in a dominant performance in the $1.05-million Maiden Condition Race for native-bred three-year-olds over the five-furlong (1,000-meter) round course. Ridden by jockey Abigail Able, Eye of the Tiger made a single decisive move to claim the lead and pulled away to win by 8¾ lengths, covering the distance in a rapid 59.4 seconds with splits of 23.4 and 47.3. Dark Authority (Raddesh Roman) finished second, while Golden Ambassador (Tevin Foster) took third. The racing day was capped off by photos from photographer Garfield Robinson, capturing DaCosta inspecting Fred The Master alongside owner Milard Azan in the winners’ enclosure, Able celebrating her win atop Eye of the Tiger at the finish line, and Gordon guiding Himaya back to the winners’ enclosure after the mare’s thrilling close win.

On May 25, 2026, veteran horse racing trainer Carlton “Jerry” Cunningham cemented his reputation as one of the most skilled conditioners in the sport, delivering a remarkable three-victory haul at a 10-race meet that pushed his seasonal win total to eight.

Cunningham’s winning streak kicked off in the day’s second contest, a 5 ½-furlong (1,100-meter) Optional Claiming event open to three-year-olds and older runners, plus native-bred six-year-olds and upward that had not claimed four wins. With jockey Richie Shakes in the stirrups, Global Machine, a progeny of stallion Hedge Fund and dam Sparing Time, pulled away from the field to secure a decisive 2 ¼-length victory. The runner-up spot went to Skyrizi, ridden by Tevin Foster, while Salud with Jaheim Anderson aboard finished third. Global Machine crossed the finish line in a final time of 1:09.0, with intermediate split times of 24.1 seconds for the first quarter, 49.0 seconds for the half-mile, and 1:02.1 for five furlongs.

The trainer’s second win of the day came in the sixth race, a 4-furlong (800-meter) Optional Claiming event with a $350,000-$250,000 claiming range open to all runners three years old and older. This time, Tuts, piloted by jockey Tevin Foster, dominated the competition from wire to wire, crossing the finish line a comfortable three lengths ahead of the pack. Undisclosdlocation, ridden by Tyrese Anderson, took second place, while Restoration with Demar Williams up finished third. Tuts clocked a final time of 48.3 seconds, with opening splits of 23.3 seconds for the first 2 furlongs and 35.3 seconds for the first 3 furlongs.

Cunningham capped off his historic day with a third victory in the Restricted Allowance II stakes, a 6 ½-furlong (1,300-meter) event restricted to native-bred five-year-olds and upward non-winners of four races, and imported five-year-olds and upward non-winners of three. Jockey Richie Shakes guided Adira, a Hedge Fund-sired mare out of dam Thisgirlisonfire, to a well-timed late move that put her ahead of the field entering the final stretch. She held off late challenges to win by just half a length, with Princess Fiannie (Tevin Foster) taking second and Ruby’s Light (Jaheim Anderson) claiming third. Adira posted a final time of 1:22.0, with fractional splits of 24.0, 47.4, and 1:14.2.

The impressive treble not only underscores Cunningham’s elite skill as a horse conditioner but also brings his total number of wins for the 2006 racing season to eight, solidifying his standing as a top contender for training honors heading into the second half of the campaign.

Apprentice jockey Shaheem Gordon delivered a storybook comeback to competitive horse racing on Saturday, May 23, 2026, clinching a dramatic last-gasp victory at Jamaica’s iconic Caymanas Park aboard the Jason DaCosta-trained roan mare Himaya.

The triumph marked Gordon’s first competitive ride after a six-week break forced by a serious fall earlier in the year. On Easter Monday, April 6, Gordon was thrown from his mount Get A Pepsi during the 10th race of the day, suffering a concussion that required a short hospital stay and kept him sidelined from the sport he loves. Stepping back into the irons at Cayman Park, Gordon was scheduled for five races across the afternoon, with his comeback win coming in the very first of his scheduled outings.

The race that sealed Gordon’s return to the winner’s circle was an Optional Claiming event open to three-year-old runners and older, contested over seven furlongs (1,400 meters) of the Caymanas Park track. From the starting gate, jockey Raddesh Roman jumped out to an early lead aboard Sir Wong Don, with Prince Marshall and Richie Shakes settling into close pursuit to track the pace setter. Meanwhile, Gordon and Himaya sat far off the early tempo, holding down the second-to-last spot in the running order through the first half of the race.

As the field rounded the final turn for home, Sir Wong Don had opened up a comfortable multi-length lead, with most onlookers expecting the front-runner to hold on for an easy win. Even entering the final two furlongs (400 meters), Himaya still trailed the leading pack by a significant margin, before the mare finally found her racing rhythm. Gordon expertly angled Himaya toward the inside rail, a move that allowed her to build unchallenged momentum as the race neared its finish line. When the race leader Sir Wong Don began to tire and fade in the closing strides, Himaya’s devastating late burst closed the gap in dramatic fashion, pushing her across the line a head ahead of the competition for the win.

Romane Gordon’s mount Money Box finished a further four and a half lengths behind to claim third place. The winning time for the seven-furlong contest was clocked at 1:30.1, with quarter-mile splits recorded at 23.3, 47.4, and 1:15.1 respectively. For Himaya, the victory marked her third career win from 51 total starts, boosting her lifetime race earnings to nearly $3.5 million. Following the fairytale win, Gordon headed to the scales to complete post-race requirements, with photographer Garfield Robinson capturing the iconic moment of the apprentice jockey’s comeback win.

On Monday, May 25, 2026, Jamaica’s Labour Day Trophy lived up to its reputation as a thrilling highlight of the local horseracing calendar, delivering a dominant performance that left spectators talking long after the finish line. Six-year-old dark bay racehorse Nautical Star, bred from sire Dixie Chatter and dam Kiss Me Chocolate (an Evansville Slew mare), secured a convincing 3-and-a-half-length win in the seven-furlong (1,400-meter) Overnight Allowance event, crossing the finish line in a solid time of 1:25.1, with split timings of 23.1 seconds for the opening quarter, 46.2 seconds for the half-mile, and 1:11.3 for six furlongs. What made the win even more notable, however, is that the team behind Nautical Street – jockey Raddesh “Sneaky Fox” Roman and trainer Anthony “Baba” Nunes – is far from satisfied with the result, insisting the talented runner has not yet reached his full racing peak.\n\nThe race unfolded in a textbook come-from-behind pattern for Nautical Star. The horse was not the quickest out of the starting gates, falling back to the middle of the 10-horse field as jockey Roman bided his time in the backstretch. American Aviator, ridden by Tevin Foster, set a blistering early pace, with Unruly Mo (Emelio McLean) and Supremasi (Omar Walker) holding second and third positions through the first half-mile. It was not until the turn into the final homestretch that Roman made his move, guiding Nautical Star up alongside Unruly Mo and Supremasi to close the gap on the leading American Aviator. Within seconds of straightening out for the final push, Nautical Star drew even with the pace-setter, then accelerated away from the entire field with apparent ease to claim the top spot.\n\nDespite the unchallenged margin of victory, Roman made it clear immediately after the race that he and Nunes see plenty of room for improvement. “Neither the trainer nor I were blown away by today’s performance,” Roman told reporters in the winners’ enclosure. “We’re going to have to go back to the drawing board with training and fine-tune his preparation to help him reach the peak we know he’s capable of.”\n\nRoman, who has partnered with Nautical Star for all three of his starts on Jamaican soil, has full confidence in the horse’s underlying talent. “My whole plan going in was to get him a clean break, settle him into a good position, and ask him to unleash his speed over the final three furlongs,” the jockey explained. “This is an incredibly gifted horse, and I truly believe he is one of the top Thoroughbreds currently racing in Jamaica. If he reaches his full potential, he won’t just beat fields like this – he’ll dominate them even more easily than he did today.”\n\nMonday’s win marked Nautical Star’s second victory from three outings since joining the local racing circuit, proving the horse is already a consistent top contender even when not running at 100 percent. In the final standings, American Aviator held on to take second place, while Mark My Identity, ridden by Dane Dawkins, rounded out the top three. The win cements Nautical Star’s status as one to watch in upcoming top-tier Jamaican racing events, as Roman and Nunes work to unlock the horse’s full power in future races.