Inside information on Eagle Farm track says go wide

EAGLE Farm track manager Sean Bridges has forecast a similar racing pattern to Stradbroke Day and warned it will take months before the surface can race as a genuine Good.

EAGLE Farm track manager Sean Bridges has forecast a similar racing pattern to Stradbroke Day and warned it will take months before the surface can race as a genuine Good.

Most jockeys praised the new surface and layout on Stradbroke Day, but the fact it cut up so badly on the inside has led to criticism in the past fortnight.

It has also heightened speculation about how the track might play on Saturday and whether scouting wide will again be the key to success later in the program, even though the rail has been moved to the 6m position.

“It will race similar to what it did on Stradbroke day,’’ Bridges said. “With 10 races again, I would expect them to start to get out wider as the day goes on.

“It’s worth noting that there is about 30 or 40 less horses going around (Saturday) compared to the Stradbroke.

“That’s a lot less traffic, so I don’t think the inside will chop out as much this time. You rarely get 160 horses at a meeting like we did at the Stradbroke.’’

With no decent rainfall in Brisbane since Sunday, there also has been surprise at the Soft (6) rating, given the draining capacity of the new layout.

Bridges said the rating, which he expected to improve to a Soft (5), showed the track had not yet consolidated.

“This track is going to race with genuine give in it for at least the first six months before it properly beds down,” he said. “I can’t see us racing on a genuine Good (3) for a while.

“I am happy with the way it has recovered since the Stradbroke.

Track manager Sean Bridges says the Soft (6) rating showed the track had not yet consolidated. Picture: AAP

“I thought it might have taken longer to bounce back.

“We won’t be back in the true position until July 16 so that pad will have plenty of time to recover.”

The hype around Stradbroke Day sparked strong betting across the card.

Whether the fallout from that meeting dents confidence in wagering turnover on Saturday remains to be seen.

Tab.com.au’s Glen Munsie said trading on Saturday’s meeting had been quiet, but that was in line with historical trends as opposed to a lack of confidence from punters.

“There is such a big build-up to the Stradbroke meeting and then traditionally there is a massive come down after that,” Munsie said.

“The Tiara was never going to be a great betting race, especially now you have four horses under double figures and basically write your own ticket the rest.”

Originally published as Inside information on Eagle Farm track says go wide