The Geelong track will get “a shake up” ahead of next Wednesday’s race meeting to remedy the problem that forced the abandonment of the club’s Boxing Day program after just one race.
Jockeys refused to ride at last Monday’s meeting after two horses slipped between the 600 metres and the 400 metres in the first event.
The track was later harrowed and aerated but riders considered it was still unsafe.
Racing Victoria’s South West Regional Stewards Manager Rob Montgomery, and Tracks and Facilities manager Charlie Stebbing inspected the track on Wednesday.
Montgomery said a hard crust had formed about 60 centimetres below the surface on the home turn which had made it difficult for horses to get a footing.
He said an “earthquake” machine designed to break up the crust to improve drainage had been ordered to remedy the issue.
“After talking with Charlie Stebbing this morning and Geelong’s track manager Matt Mayor and chief executive Paul Carroll, I am very, very confident that track will have no problems for next Wednesday’s race meeting,” Montgomery said.
He said the earthquake machine would be used on the entire circumference of the track which would then get a heavy soaking from the course sprinklers.
“The track will be 100 per cent,” Montgomery said.
As a precaution Montgomery has liaised with Victorian Jockeys Association chief Des O’Keeffe to arrange for two senior riders to gallop horses on the track next Tuesday.
Carroll said the Geelong Racing Club accepted responsibility for the track issue but backed Mayor who has been the racecourse manager for more than seven years.
“The club takes full responsibility for it,” Carroll said.
“We have no-one else to blame but ourselves.
“Matty didn’t water the track on Christmas Day when there so many storms around but in the end Geelong didn’t get any rain.
“This is the first time we have had horses slip on the track and we fully support Matt.”
Carroll said about 1000 of the 5000 people who attended Geelong’s Boxing day meeting submitted their names and addresses before leaving the track and would be refunded the $15 race day entry.
He said the club would take a financial hit which he estimated could be as much as $25,000 depending on betting figures for the day.
AAP TURF
