No fear of Eagle Farm here
Sand gives Coast turf headstart
THE natural golden sand of the Gold Coast is the reason why the Gold Coast Turf Club is confident it won’t suffer the same issues as Eagle Farm when it upgrades its track.
The disastrous upgrade of the Eagle Farm track, which ultimately has heaped more load on to other clubs, has been the biggest issue facing racing in the state in recent years.
The Gold Coast club is waiting for the Queensland Government to sign off on major infrastructure upgrades that include an $8.2 million renovation of the course proper.
Chairman Brett Cook said the club was confident it would avoid the damaging results of the botched work at Eagle Farm, pointing to the natural sand base that sits under the Gold Coast track.
“The advantage we have got over Eagle Farm is the base of our course proper is sand,” Cook said.
“We don’t have to go and do the drastic earthworks (Eagle Farm) had to do.
“That is what is causing all their problems, importing the sand in.
“They have had to excavate their entire course, put down a metre of clay and about another 600mm of sand.
“But we have already got the base there.
“We will rip the grass off, fix the drainage and reinstate the turf basically.
“We won’t have the same problem.”
Racing ceased at Eagle Farm in August 2014 and did not resume until June 2016 because of problems.
The new surface was plagued by even more problems when the grass never truly “took” to the surface and eventually died in March last year.
Trainers and jockeys complained the shifty surface was worse than a heavy track.
An inquiry led to an announcement that the course would be rebuilt in August last year but constant delays with the tender process and problems with access to materials has critics believing Eagle Farm won’t hold another race until 2019.