New Eagle Farm shows worth in big wet

[Wandering Eyes]

The Eagle Farm surface has passed a major test with flying colours after a storm.

Racing Queensland’s senior track specialist Mick Goodie believes the new-look racing surface at Eagle Farm has already proved its worth with even better to come.

Eagle Farm and Doomben were hammered by two storms this week and after the second, the final four races at Doomben on Friday were abandoned.

The tracks are separated by a road but Eagle Farm was rated a good four before being upgraded to a good three on Saturday.

There were three track records run including Vega One who bettered the 1400m-time set by Trekking for 1400m in the Stradbroke.

Staff worked through Friday night at Eagle Farm getting the saturated racecourse ready for Saturday’s meeting.

“The storm flooded several areas including the main betting ring in the John Power stand,” Brisbane Racing Club chairman Neville Bell said.

“It is amazing what they can do these days but it also showed how good the new track handles wet weather when it raced as a good four-three when other parts of the racecourse had been under water.”

Goodie, who is employed by Racing Queensland to oversee tracks, confirmed Bell’s rating.

Eagle Farm has had two redevelopments in the past five years but Goodie thinks it is now starting to consolidate and be ready to show its worth.

“I have always said it would take time to consolidate and that it will take a lot of water,” he said.

He said the track would have further cushion as it consolidated.

Racing Queensland will gradually introduce the Going Stick system to replace the penetrometer in helping rate tracks.

Goodie said the Going Stick was opposite to a penetrometer in that the higher the rating the firmer the track.

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