AUSTRALIA'S most famous jockey has given the new Ballarat Turf Club track an almighty salute.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Damien Oliver rode a winner during Wednesday's comeback meeting the club's first since November last year and said the course was now on par with Bendigo and Sale as the state's leading regional venue.
Oliver said the elimination of the track's "dip" was a big improvement.
"I think the dip was probably the only thing holding it back from Bendigo and now I think it is probably going to be up there with our best tracks, for sure," Oliver told The Courier.
"It's a good surface. It's still a little bit young and it's only going to get better with a bit of time, but I think the jockeys are really enjoying not having the dip there anymore."
Oliver said the ongoing delay in Ballarat's return meeting an initial resumption was expected in June would in fact be a positive for the long-term future of the track.
"Hopefully they will learn lessons from Sandown, where it got too much use too soon and the track suffered from it," he said.
Oliver was one of the last jockeys to ride a winner on the old Sportsbet-Ballarat circuit before its overhaul when he partnered Gai Waterhouse-trained The Offer to a dominant victory in the 2013 Ballarat Cup.
There was an outpouring of support for the new surface on Wednesday, including from jockey Nick Hall, who rode Eric Musgrove's Agreement to victory in the opening race of the day.
"It's fantastic. The track looks great and feels great," Hall said.
"That dip out of it just makes it a real track now."
Three-time Melbourne Cup winning hoop Glen Boss also raved about the new course.
"Punters will have real confidence in betting here," Boss told racingnetwork.com.au
"It is a city class track with a city class surface."
BTC track manager Dylan O'Neill, who has only been in the role for about four months, said he was "very impressed" with how the turf handled the day's racing.
"There was no issues at all and all feedback from the jockeys was very positive," O'Neill said.
O'Neill said the turf would only improve through the spring.
"It's all looking very positive leading into the cup," he said.
"I'd like to thank the staff for all the hard work they have put in leading up to this meeting."
BTC's next raceday will be held on October 23.
tim.oconnor@fairfaxmedia.com.au
