Tasracing CEO Paul Eriksson has confirmed that the company’s $12.5 million redevelopment of the Elwick thoroughbred track remains on budget and is expected to be race-ready as scheduled for the 2020 Derby Day and Ladbrokes Hobart Cup.
‘Thanks to the work of Tasmanian-owned project delivery partner StrathAyr and the entire project team, I am pleased to confirm that progress remains on schedule. Turf-laying is expected to be complete within the coming week and it is extremely exciting to see the new racing surface almost fully in place’ said Eriksson.
Eriksson also confirmed that core-sampling around the track is showing exceptional growth of the turf root system – essential for the race-readiness of the track: ‘The quality of the growing medium, turf and optimal weather conditions have meant that the core samples are showing rapid, strong root-growth which gives us great confidence’ he said.
Tasracing is expecting the final StrathAyr turf to be laid in the coming week. The turf will then have until late January to fully ‘bed-down’ in time for trial track-gallops in January, followed by Derby Day on 31 January and Hobart Cup day on 9 February.
