Eagle Farm passes first test without sight screen as trials proceed smoothly

A set of trials without a portion of the Eagle Farm “sight screen” has been conducted without a hitch.

A picture taken last year of the “sight screen” at Eagle Farm, which is meant to stop horses shying at a building at the point of the home turn.

Eagle Farm has cleared its first major test without portions of its “sight screen”, with jockeys and racing officials reporting no incidents at a set of trials on Tuesday.

Trackside hoardings covered in mesh, meant to stop horses shying at a building on the point of the turn, were established last year as a method of covering up the construction of the building.

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But the main building is now finished and parts of the hoarding have come down, although it is still in place in some areas where there is construction.

Jockeys dramatically withdrew their services from riding at Eagle Farm for a period after a Robbie Dolan fall last July, with the hoops feeling that some horses were shying at the building.

The sight screen appears to have been a success although it was never going to stay forever.

A set of seven trials were staged at Eagle Farm on Tuesday without incident.

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“There were seven trials featuring 48 runners, of which 24 of those were (trained) from outside Eagle Farm,” Glen Prentice, the general manager of the Queensland Jockeys’ Association, said.

“There were no reactions from horses.”

The sight screen at Eagle Farm, pictured last year.

One key aspect of racing at Eagle Farm since last year’s dramas has been it has been mandatory for horses to be cantered past the 600m mark prior to every race to “sight” the building.

This will remain in place for the time being.

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“Pre-race sightings will remain until all hoarding is removed,” Prentice said.

“The blue mesh should come down entirely by about September 30 and there will be a set of trials run again when that happens.”

There is a nine-race metropolitan card to be raced at Eagle Farm on Saturday.

Originally published as Eagle Farm passes first test without sight screen as trials proceed smoothly