After a couple of world records on Inter Dominion grand final day, the surface at Menangle Park Paceway is being replaced as the program to improve track infrastructure around NSW moves into full swing.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Menangle has been shut since March 3 but is on target to reopen on April 5.
"When we built the track in 2008, we told the horsemen we would consider changing the surface down the track," NSW Harness Racing Club chief executive John Dumesny said. "That time has come and we have been planning this for more than a year.
"It was a very hard surface we had on the track and the horsemen wanted it to be more forgiving to help with recovery and their horses' legs. This new surface is a lot softer.
''People might ask why we changed the surface after we had all the records, but they were racing on asphalt-like surface on that day. We believe this surface will be better in the long term for the industry.
"We have had perfect weather and we will be ready to race again on April 5."
Meanwhile, Menangle dates have been distributed around country and provincial centres, with Bathurst taking centre stage in the next couple of weeks with the final of the Gold Crown.
The new Bathurst track at Mount Panorama should be ready later in the year and a site has been found to built a new track at Wagga Wagga. Penrith is also set to be reshaped as part of the plan to bring the sport's facilities into the 21st century.
Newcastle will have its first significant upgrade since being opened in 1989. Work on a lighting upgrade will start next week, while the turn will be cambered and track resurfaced later in the year.
"We are hoping with the improvements we will see the top-grade horses get down to running close to 1.50 for the mile," Newcastle chief executive Ross Gigg said.
Queensland is also moving to have a new track, with the Gold Coast club reportedly moving to a Yatala site after the Parklands complex was shut down to make way for the Gold Coast hospital. The track will be a 1000-metre circuit and cost more than $10 million, including the purchase of land.
Meanwhile, stewards announced the first confirmed positive A tests to Cobalt, with trainers Michael Hardy and Rhys Nicolson stood down under the provisions of Australian Harness Racing Rule 183 while the B samples are tested.
