Eagle Farm gets thumbs up from racing industry after rocky patch

Eagle Farm’s new surface has won over many in the racing industry and, with a bit more time, it can be the best track in Australia. FIND OUT WHAT THE EXPERTS SAY

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Saturday will mark the 33rd meeting conducted on the “new” surface at Eagle Farm, since it made its return in December 2018 after more than four years of debacles dating back to the closure of the original track in August 2014.

Overall, the new track has been received well – and wagering turnover shows punters have warmed to the new surface.

The Brisbane Racing Club is certainly bullish about the venue, pitching to Racing Queensland for it to have 30 Saturday meetings every year once it reaches full maturity.

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The Eagle Farm track is winning over the critics. Picture: Trackside Photography

The drainage has proven to be quite remarkable, with the track racing in the “Good” range over the past three weeks despite huge rainfall.

It is also racing fairly uniform, with winners coming from all different parts of the track.

But to say the new Eagle Farm has been universally praised would be wide of the mark.

Some jockeys and trainers have concerns over how firm the surface has been at times, and there’s been numerous examples of horses that refuse to stretch out on it.

Premier trainer Tony Gollan noted the track has been outstanding during the wet weather stretch, but felt there were times during summer where it was too hard.

Leading jockeys Ryan Maloney, Robbie Fradd and Matt McGillivray said the track is very fair most of the time, but firmness has been an issue.

Curator Mick Goodie insists more cushion will come as the track matures further, but some fear it is always going to race on the firm side.

Racing Queensland chief executive Brendan Parnell says officials are “learning all the time” and the track won’t be at its best until next spring, but the old adage of Eagle Farm being the “cash converter” in terms of turnover still rings true.

“The return of our spiritual home of racing in Queensland is great for racing,” Parnell said.

“On a standard Saturday, compared to Doomben, Gold Coast or the Sunshine Coast, Eagle Farm has a 10 per cent premium and that increases more on major carnival days.”

Racing Queensland chief executive Brendan Parnell says officials are still learning about the new Eagle Farm track. Picture: AAP

TURNOVER

Since its return in December 2018, Eagle Farm has made up 20 per cent of all thoroughbred turnover and produced 18 per cent of all thoroughbred revenue. On a like-for-like basis, it turns over 10 per cent more than the same meeting would at Doomben.

THE JOCKEYS’ VIEW

ROBBIE FRADD

“It races best when we’ve had a lot of rain, but there is the occasion when you could feel it getting pretty firm. But like they say, you have to give it some time and it will change. As far as fairness, they are coming from anywhere on this track. As long as it’s racing fair like that, then it’s great for the game.”

RYAN MALONEY

“The recent meetings have been perfect. It’s like a synthetic track, in that it doesn’t matter how much rain you cop, it’s always going to be the same sort of surface. It has been too firm at times. Even Alligator Blood when I rode him at Eagle Farm, he didn’t stretch out and didn’t like it as much.”

MATT MCGILLIVRAY

“The last three weeks it’s been perfect. It’s very fair, but it comes down to what handles the track. The query for me is how often you get this rain to keep it consistent. Without the water when it’s too firm, it’s not going to help horses. Before the rain, it had been hard and I felt myself, I could feel it through the horse.”

Jockey Matt McGillivray with trainer Toby Edmonds agree the track is fair but it can get too firm.

THE TRAINERS’ VIEW

TOBY EDMONDS

“First of all, I think the track is quite uniform and you seem to be able to win from anywhere. I don’t train here, but my horses come here and struggle. We’ve had a winner the last three meetings, but to me that’s because the track has absorbed so much rain and they’ve been able to stretch out. When it’s only the normal irrigation, they go home and are quite jarred up. I think they need to start listening to that. The horses are paramount.”

DESLEIGH FORSTER

“What the track has needed is all this rain. To be fair we were in the middle of a drought and they were doing the best they can. Now they have all this water, there should be no need for this track to be racing firm. I’m not saying it’s biased, it’s just too firm. Are we just going to be a hard track non-stop? The horses are not breaking down, but they are at the stage where they are protecting themselves. They aren’t letting down.”

TONY GOLLAN

“It’s amazing in the wet weather. When we get rain, we get a very even track. There can be elements of bias through the dry times. In the really hot period of summer when water was scarce, I think it raced very firm. If it continues to race that way it could be counter-productive. But it’s a young grass, it’s immature and we need to give it time.”

ROB HEATHCOTE

“I was one of Eagle Farm’s biggest critics, but after five years of pain we now have a track we can race on when the rest of the country is under water. I know there’s going to be the odd horse or two that don’t handle it, but even when horses of mine haven’t performed to expectations, they are not jarring up. For me, I give the track nothing but thumbs up.”

Trainer Robert Heathcote has given the Eagle Farm track the thumbs up. Picture: Glenn Hunt

STUART KENDRICK

“It’s definitely going to be one of those tracks where you can handle that surface or you don’t. That’s why there’s such big margins in some of the races. Whether it’s too hard ... I haven’t had any pull up with problems, but they either go well or they don’t. If they do, it’s great because it’s a very big and fair track. They can come from anywhere.”

KELLY SCHWEIDA

“I think it’s done an incredible job. We went through hell the last five years and at least now you know you will race every week, you know what you’re going to have, (and) there’s no chance of losing a meeting. Our prizemoney comes from our turnover, so if we don’t lose any race meetings, it has to help the whole state. I do understand (the firmness of the track) might have effected some. I personally haven’t had an issue with it.”

THE PUNTERS’ VIEW

TREVOR LANSKEY (punter and former jockey manager to premiership winners Jim Byrne, Stathi Katsidis and Scott Seamer)

“It seems amazing compared to what it was. As a form person I like to have a wet track every now and then. It added a bit more variety. I can’t believe you can have that much rain and have a good track, so that’s disappointing, but the track is fantastic. I’d give it a nine out of 10. The little negatives are that the 1000m start was stuffed up and now they have to restrict the fields. That stems the turnover they say they need and by having lots of emergencies, it restricts early betting.”

PAUL DAILY (Ratings2Win)

“This track is chalk and cheese compared to the previous version. Mick Goodie has done a fantastic job and it’s equal to the best wet track in Australia now. It seems Eagle Farm is still a specialist track – Snowzone (two impressive wins around an Eagle Farm flop) is a recent example – and the sand based tracks do seem to suit a different style of horse.”

THE TRACK SPECIALIST

MICK GOODIE

Is the track too hard?

“It will spend most of its life in the good range. I see it very similar to Sha Tin. I hope it continues to perform as well as it has and it can live up to the Sha Tin reputation I’ve put on it.”

Track manager Mick Goodie believes Eagle Farm can be the best track in Australia. Picture: Annette Dew

Will there be more cushion or give in the track as time goes on?

“When the grass matures it will provide a natural cushion and each year we do a renovation it will improve. A thatch layer will also contribute, but that will take time to build. When the track starts to hold its organics, it will build a thatch layer we can control and operate with.”

We have had meetings with 200mm of rain leading in and some jockeys have still suggested their mounts didn’t let down on the firm track. If that’s the case in wet weather, how firm will it get when it’s dry?

“With these profiles they only maintain 9 per cent of the water, which is about what they need for the plant to live and survive healthily, and they disperse the rest. What people don’t understand is that it will always be in the Good range. The only way it won’t is if we get heavy rain on race day, or an outside disease or influence.”

You plan to oversew the couch with rye grass. Why?

“It will supply a little more grass cover in winter with a bit more cushion and will help the aesthetic look of the track. The Grand Prix couch is ugly when it’s dormant, the rye will make it look aesthetically a lot better.”

Where is the maturity of the track right now?

“Probably 75-80 per cent. Another winter and another renovation will just about have it at 100 per cent. I am of the belief this can be the best track in Australia. It should be the benchmark for any future track developments in not only Queensland, but in Australian racing.”