Cannon Park’s surface passes big zone test
Rarely have so many horses thundered around Cannon Park and Cairns Jockey Club staff are over the moon about how the surface has held up over the last few months.
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Rarely have so many horses thundered around Cannon Park and Cairns Jockey Club staff are over the moon about how the surface has held up over the last few months.
It was only a couple of years ago when FNQ’s premier racetrack hosted a handful of TAB meetings a year.
Since Racing Queensland introduced zoned racing, Cannon Park has been the centre of attention in the state once a fortnight, usually with big fields, leading to more wear and tear than ever before.
It was a big test around how the redeveloped track would hold up under the recent rain and excessive racing, to go along with more track work and gallops as the horse population regularly expands.
And, CJC general manager John Cameron thinks the surface has passed with flying colours.
“The track has held up very well, considering the amount of racing we have had,” Cameron said.
CJC staff have made a rare change to the track for this Thursday, with the rail position out 3m from the 1450-325m’s, and is true the remainder of the course.
Cameron has been with the FNQ club for over four years and the rail has never been out that far in his tenure, leading to racing on ground that has had barely any horses on it lately.
The rail being out so far does reduce the field size in some races, which one local trainer did cite as a concern.
The rail being out so far does reduce the field size in some races, which one local trainer did cite as a concern.
A handful of local trainers were involved in trials with the rail out on Monday morning.
“It is in pretty good order and will cope with three meetings, this meeting and the two July meetings,” Cameron said.
“This way will line the corners up better.
“Sometimes you just do things like this because of Murphy’s Law, we have not had much rain, it just gives us the dollar each way that we are saving the area that usually takes the most wear and tear.”
The rail usually goes out to some degree around this time of year, Cameron says.
There is eight races set for CJC on Thursday which is a chance to become nine by Tuesday morning with the Class 2 Handicap (1250m) likely to be split with big nominations.
Meanwhile, strict biosecurity restrictions will be in place when punters are allowed to
return to Queensland racecourses in stages from Monday.
No one except essential staff, trainers, jockeys and some media have been allowed on Queensland recourses for four months due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Racing Queensland and race clubs have received approval for an Industry COVID Safe Plan in which the gates will open to everyone in stages from Monday.
In a statement, RQ said in line with the Queensland Government’s Road map to easing restrictions, clubs who opt-in to the racing industry’s COVID Safe Plan would be permitted 20 patrons per designated area during stage two.
This will increase to 100 patrons per designated area during stage three.
CJC have submitted their own plan and hope to have punters on course as soon as possible.
HOW TIMES CHANGE
TAB meetings at Cairns’ Cannon Park:
2017-18 racing season – 10
2016-17 – 5
2015-16 – 4
Since the start of April: six TAB meetings, with one more to come on Thursday.
Originally published as Cannon Park’s surface passes big zone test