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The Australian Turf Club has approved the installation of a Pro-Ride training track at Warwick Farm, which should be operational in time for this year's spring carnival.
In a major boost for the western Sydney course, the synthetic track will offer trainers the chance to work their horses in all weather conditions, alleviating the flooding issues which have plagued Warwick Farm multiple times this year.
Construction of the Pro-Ride track and its accompanying drainage system is pencilled in to start in August, which should allow trainers to use the new facility by mid-September.
“We haven't got an absolute start date yet because other contractors have still got to do their stuff but it'll be in August,” Pro-Ride operations manager Gary Smith said.
“The track can keep the horses in training and keep them fit, and they won't have to miss a run because of bad weather.
“It's about giving the trainers the best training facilities they can possibly have.”
Pro-Ride has installed 24 synthetic tracks across Australia and in the United States since 2000, the first of which was at David Hayes' Lindsay Park property. The Victorian trainer had a second training track installed on his property last year.
Flemington had a 2100m training track installed 14 months ago which handles upwards of 240 working horses every morning.
Cranbourne and Ballarat both have Pro-Ride training tracks while Geelong broke new ground in 2010 when the company's first race track was installed. It successfully hosted 30 meetings in its first three months of existence, and accommodates the Geelong program between April and September every year.
“From a business perspective the [Pro-Ride] track has been an outstanding success,” Geelong Racing Club chief executive Paul Carroll said.
“It allows us to take transferred race meeting at short notice. In September last year [2010], we ran six race meetings in eight days – the track coped unbelievably well.”
Each Pro-Ride track is made up of synthetic fibres mixed with sand and a revolutionary polymeric binder which has evolved through more than 20 years or research and development.
Pro-Ride Racing was awarded a Federal Government grant in 2004 to further develop its unique binder technology, which is now internationally renowned as a synthetic alternative.
The mixture of fibres, sand and binder creates a dual-cushion effect on each Pro-Ride track which is safer for horses, and can handle all weather conditions.
Crucially, the track is built on top of a drainage system which can process 900mm of water every hour.
Seventeen trials were transferred to the Pro-Ride training track at Cranbourne on Monday due to heavy rain which ruined the course's sand track.
The rain has also pounded Flemington over the past week, but track manager Mick Goodie hasn't had to alter his morning race-working programs due to the synthetic track.
“It's consistent. I haven't had any issues with it,” Goodie said.
“People don't realise that turf is a living track, and you have good days and bad days.”
Where turf tracks need to be quenched regularly, the Pro-Ride surface doesn't require any water to operate.
Goodie harrows his track once or twice a week and Pro-Ride handle any other maintenance which includes keeping tabs on the track density and monitoring its condition and performance. Pro-Ride no longer builds a track without including its maintenance program.
The company is currently in talks with state racing bodies about developing an accredited training program for track managers to undertake before working on a Pro-Ride track to further enhance quality of maintenance.
And Pro-Ride could be on the verge of expanding their product to South Africa after champion Sydney jockey Glyn Schofield was engaged by Gold Circle to test the Geelong track on Tuesday.
Gold Circle are considering installing a number of the synthetic tracks to improve training facilities at their clubs, and Schofield will be offering a glowing report after his five rides on the track this week.
Jockeys and trainers alike have been ultra impressed by the cushioned surface.
Victorian trainer John Sadler said the Pro-Ride track had been fantastic.
“I've been at Flemington since 1986, and we've had a dirt track and ViscoRide, but there is no doubt the Pro-Ride track has worked the best,” Sadler said.
“Now I am working all my horses on the Pro-Ride track for their fast work and doing very little work on the grass because the Pro-Ride is so consistent.
“Our injuries have dropped and over at Flemington it's just been wonderful.”
