Jockeys, Melbourne Racing Club green light Caulfield Heath track debut from March 13

Senior Melbourne jockeys have approved the Caulfield inner track — The Heath — for use from next month.

Caulfield’s new Heath inner track will debut on March 13 – about a month ahead of schedule.

Senior jockeys gave Melbourne Racing Club the green light on Thursday morning after six trials and three jump outs on the “beautiful” new surface.

The MRC board rubber-stamped a decision to move its Sandown midweek on March 13 to The Heath to soft launch the new horse stalls, mounting yard, jockeys rooms and other race day facilities before the $4m All-Star Mile on March 16.

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The Heath inner track was originally slated to host race meetings from mid-April.

Field sizes will be restricted to 10 and 12 starters respectively for sprint and middle-distance races to help horses and riders to navigate the tight-turning circuit.

Victorian Jockeys’ Association boss Matt Hyland and senior riders Damian Lane and Luke Currie met with MRC officials after Thursday’s gallops.

General view of official trials on the new Caulfield Heath track (inside).

“All the jocks were happy with it, a couple of minor tweaks here and there, but all in all, a tick of approval,” Hyland said. “The surface is 100 per cent perfect.”

The running rail after the winning post will be shortened to offset a dip and turn out of the straight.

“All in all they’re (riders) comfortable, happy, safe and good to go … it will be like any new track, you will need to become accustomed on how to ride it,” Hyland said.

The home straight was built with an incline to ensure The Heath circuit would not become a leader’s haven.

The Caulfield Heath has been approved for racing following a busy morning of official barrier trials on Thursday.

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— Melbourne Racing Club (@MelbRacingClub) February 29, 2024

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Group 1 jockey Harry Coffey, who won the Oakleigh Plate at Caulfield last Saturday, said The Heath was “outstanding to ride on”.

“It is tight, they do whip out a little bit around this home bend, but we just have to be mindful of it,” Coffey said.

“I’m sure we’ll get used to it, like all new things, it’s a bit of an adjustment, I’ve ridden a lot on the Parks track at Morphettville, it’s very similar to that I reckon.”

Coffey was open-minded on how the track would play under race conditions.

“You’d imagine on-speed but there is quite a good camber on it and they might overdo things thinking it’s on speed, which may even things out a bit,” Coffey said. “You’d have to imagine it’s going to be on pace, Caulfield is on pace and we’re inside Caulfield.”

Originally published as Jockeys, Melbourne Racing Club green light Caulfield Heath track debut from March 13