Seymour Racecourse flooded for the second time in 15 months after weekend deluge

Just 15 months after floods left the Seymour racetrack with a $130,000 damage bill, the club is dealing with another major inundation.

The Seymour Racecourse proper and training tracks are under water water as floods hit the area. Picture: Seymour Racing Club

The Seymour Racing Club can’t take a trick.

The club is facing another hefty repair bill after floodwaters inundated the racecourse and training facilities for the second time in 15 months.

Homes and businesses in the Seymour area are under threat as the Goulburn River and nearby creeks burst their banks after heavy weekend rain.

Seymour’s 2022 floods significantly damaged the track and surrounding areas but also left an unwelcome present for the track, costing the SRC money well after the floodwaters receded.

“The last floods cost $130,000 to repair the damage,” SRC chief executive Chris Martin said.

“The track has had two reconstructions and after the flood event of October 2022, the floodwaters introduced a disease to the grass.

“Our first four meetings of 2023 had to be postponed while they treated the track.”

Martin said water has covered Seymour’s training tracks and large parts of the course proper while flooding has also swamped the club’s horse pool and other training facilities.

The pool at the Seymour Racecourse resembled a brown swamp after floodwaters inundated the course over the weekend. Supplied – Seymour Racing Club.

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“Unfortunately, it’s about the same as the 2022 floods,” Martin said.

“All of our four tracks are inundated.

“The grass is not so bad but it’s just all unravelling as I’m talking really.

“The water has gone over the synthetic and sand tracks so it has to subside.

“In sections of the track, it has to be over knee high deep.”

Despite the dire scene that confronted Martin on Monday, the administrator managed to find a positive in the circumstances.

“We’re lucky because we just had a meeting on the third (of January) and we had a planned renovation so we weren’t back until April the 19th,” Martin said.

“So it’s been a little bit of a godsend in terms that it won’t impact any meetings but we’ve got to wait for the water to subside.”

Martin said he and track manager Brett Thompson could do little but wait for the water to recede before assessing the latest damage bill.

“Whether it’s the same (as 2022), I’m not sure,” Martin said.

“Our track manager Brett Thompson will have a better handle on it once the water subsides and we can see the damage.”

Originally published as Seymour Racecourse flooded for the second time in 15 months after weekend deluge