The Elwick track has been given the green light by jockeys and trainers for this Sunday’s meeting to proceed after a dozen horses galloped at the venue on Tuesday.
The area of the track to be used on Sunday was divided into three sections and two horses at a time galloped over 1000 metres with all three sections of the track utilized.
Remedial work has since been carried out on various sections of the track over the past fortnight and it was yesterday hailed successful by jockeys and trainers.
Tasmanian jockey-trainer Siggy Carr rode four of the 12 horses that galloped on the circuit and she gave the track a glowing report.
“I thought the track rode beautifully and I sat behind one of my other horses in a gallop and I didn’t get any kickback,” Carr said.
“Other than the outside section of the track in the home straight, that was a bit softer than the rest, the track was very raceable and you couldn’t even see where the patches were two weeks ago.”
Premier trainer Scott Brunton is convinced the maintenance and remedial work that has been done over the past two weeks has the track heading in the right direction.
“I’m happy with the track condition and the way that things are tracking with its recovery,” Brunton said.
“It is a new track and there are going to be teething issues but today the clods that were being thrown up showed grassroots, whereas beforehand you could see mesh webbing, so the work being done proves the grass growth process is working and that’s a great sign.”
Flemington track manager Liam O’Keefe, who was recruited by Tasracing to inspect the damaged areas of the track two weeks ago, returned to Hobart yesterday to oversee the gallops.
“The track surface has reacted to the gallops just as I expected and the work that has been done over the past fortnight has helped deliver that outcome,” O’Keefe said.
Tasracing CEO Paul Eriksson said trainers and jockeys will be invited to attend another track walk at Elwick on Thursday.
This Sunday’s meeting boasts the $100,000 Elwick Stakes for two-year-olds and the weight-for-age Summer Cup that offers the winner ballot-free entry into the Ladbrokes Group 3 $250,000 Hobart Cup on February 7.