New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing’s (NZTR) Chief Operating Officer, Darin Balcombe, and Head of Tracks and Infrastructure, Tim Lambert, would like to provide an update on the track issues experienced at RACE Trentham, Hastings Racecourse and Ellerslie Racecourse. 

RACE Trentham
RACE has collaborated with irrigation specialists to address the challenge of not being able to water the outer portion of the home bend effectively. This issue led to the abandonment of the Wellington Racing Club's previous meeting on 27 January after Race 4. A solution has been successfully identified in partnership with Total Irrigation, involving the implementation of movable impact sprinklers, which allows the Club to irrigate a broader area. These additional sprinklers will ensure uniformity with the rest of the racing surface before the upcoming meeting on 9 March. To guarantee the consistency of the track, a monitoring process will be established. The Racing Integrity Board (RIB) and NZTR will inspect the track leading up to the meeting on 9 March.

Hastings Racecourse
On Saturday morning (10 February), seven horses were galloped around cones positioned 12 metres off the rail, covering the area that had caused issues during the meeting on Thursday 25 January. Experienced riders galloped the horses, with the gallops overseen by representatives from Hawke's Bay Racing Inc. and Darin Balcombe from NZTR. The consensus among all involved was that the previous inconsistency issues had been successfully addressed. The repairs made after the previous racedays had been given additional time to settle, contributing to the positive outcome. Riders expressed their satisfaction, describing the track as consistent with a good cushion underfoot. After consulting with the RIB, the track has received clearance to resume racing, with the next scheduled event set for Sunday 18 February.

Ellerslie Racecourse
Post the review that took place following TAB Karaka Millions on Saturday 27 January at Ellerslie, Track Manager Jason Fulford used various machinery to break down a thick layer of roots just below the surface which will enable horses to penetrate the surface more than previously. As referenced last week, jumpouts were held at Ellerslie on Monday 12 February, with 62 horses jumping out with positive comments from Jockeys following.  Jason Fulford, as part of his preparation leading into this Saturday, will use machinery which will further enhance the surface. 

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