Moonee Valley StrathAyr Issues Fixed...except the drainage.

[Chief Stipe]

Valley rids disease, braces for rain

www.racing.com

Valley track staff have worked to remove diseases that were discovered on the turf following last month's William Reid Stakes meeting, but could be dealt with a blow with an unfavorable forecast leading up to the venue's return to racing on Saturday.

The Bureau of Meteorology is predicting as much as 25mm on Friday but as little as 3mm, which track foreman Tony Salisbury says at its worst would result in the meeting starting in the Heavy range.

"If we get up to 7mm I'll be ok with that, but if we get north of that, it could be an issue," he admitted.

"I would expect it to play well otherwise, it may still cut out, but not as much as it did (on March 22).

"We've had to put water on this week, including 3.5mm last night (Tuesday), because you can't let the track dry out because it will go backwards.

"So it's a balancing act with the right amount of moisture to get the percentages within the profile in terms of moisture readings so it doesn't drop off.

"You don't want it to be at detriment to the track's health, but it's then got to be able to absorb that rainfall, whatever that is."

Since the StrathAyr track was laid in 1995, Salisbury said the aging layout currently drains at only 10 per cent of its original rate.

Salisbury's team has again applied a product to the track this week, which will assist in trying to cater for a large amount of rainfall, but he insisted it is no 'silver bullet'.

Following remedial track works post the Group 1 meeting on March 22, staff applied fungicides to the track in order to kill diseases that were discovered.

"We discovered a root-born disease and there were three significant diseases in the foliage," Salisbury said.

"We knew the roots weren't right but upon investigation after the meeting, we got some testing conducted.

"There was a lot of negativity around the meeting understandably with the track cutting out, but at least now we know why.

"The improvement is definitely there but the thing to factor in is the remedial works took a week to complete, so the recovery to race time is about three weeks.

"The track is healthy, there is no problem there though, the plant, the growth and growth rate and appearance is spot on."

The Moonee Valley Racing Club has appointed former Rosehill Gardens racecourse manager Shaun Patterson as Marty Synan's replacement and he will begin in the top job on Monday.

[Special Agent]

A headache not many would want.

10% drainage capacity once the track surface becomes "old" at 30.  Diseased (x3) grass diagnosed post racing.  A "product" required this week to balance predicted rainfall.  Too much rain in the forecast.  The top caretaker obviously blamed for the substandard track presented last time as he's been replaced.

All adding up to lost confidence of stakeholders.

So this is StrathAyr.  I hope those tending Ellerslie look and learn.  None of this needs repeating on this side of the Tasman.

[Chief Stipe]

9 minutes ago, Special Agent said:

10% drainage capacity once the track surface becomes "old" at 30

Drains clog up.  Doesn't matter what type of track it is they all require major renovations before 20 years is up.

 

10 minutes ago, Special Agent said:

So this is StrathAyr.  I hope those tending Ellerslie look and learn.  None of this needs repeating on this side of the Tasman.

Ellerslie isn't the same type of StrathAyr.  It is purely sand based.  I don't know how they prevent sand clogging the drains.  

[curious]

21 minutes ago, Chief Stipe said:

Drains clog up.  Doesn't matter what type of track it is they all require major renovations before 20 years is up.

Yes. Awapuni a good example. Not till they tore it up did they realise that the drains weren't working.

[Chief Stipe]

3 hours ago, curious said:

Yes. Awapuni a good example. Not till they tore it up did they realise that the drains weren't working.

Frequent problem at Ellerslie before the tore it up.