Leading Top End trainer Kerry Petrick says she has spoken to other trainers who have raised alarms about the Alice Springs racetrack

THE boss of the Alice Springs Turf Club has played down talk of issues with the track ahead of the feature races of the Cup Carnival

Des Friedrich

THE boss of the Alice Springs Turf Club has played down talk of issues with the track ahead of the feature races of the Cup Carnival.

It is understood a number of Top End trainers have found the Pioneer Park track too hard during the opening few meetings of the carnival and are concerned their horses will cop injuries.

The unease with the state of the track relates to the oil applied, with trainers worried not enough oil has been used to stop horses stepping on the base of the track.

The oil is applied to the track to hold it together under the feet of the horses.

Leading Top End trainer Kerry Petrick, who scratched More Than Frank from the Sun 969 Handicap on Saturday partly due to concerns with the track, says she has spoken to other trainers who have raised alarms.

Petrick has found horses are ‘jarring up and feet problems are coming out of it’.

Alice Springs Turf Club chief executive Des Friedrich told the NT News more oil will be applied to the track this week.

“We have got 20 thousand litres of oil arriving this week from Darwin, we cannot buy it locally,” Friedrich said.

“Thoroughbred Racing NT Chief Steward David Hensler has been able to secure the oil and it will arrive on Wednesday, which will be applied to the track on Thursday.

“It will be to hold the track together and will not change the track conditions, we do not want to change the track conditions right in the middle of the carnival.”

Petrick said it was an ‘unfortunate event’ that the increased oil had not been applied earlier.

“Hopefully they are going to do a bit more to the track this week and I decided it was a bit better option to wait and run More Than Frank the following week,” Petrick said.

“Horses seem to be jarring up and feet problems are coming out of it.

“It could also be that horses that are susceptible to feet problems are finding it difficult.

“I do know that other trainers have been having issues.

“Horses jarring up and feet are issues are generally what other trainers are saying talking to them.”

Friedrich is optimistic the concerns will soon be gone.

“Trainers are alleging horses are going through the oil and hitting the base, we have had three two-year-old races here recently and none of them have pulled up lame,” Friedrich said.

“The two-year-old’s will show you if the track is too hard or not.

“I am confident the track has been OK but to satisfy some egos, we will go through the process and put a sprinkle of oil on it.”

The Alice Springs Cup Carnival is heating up, culminating in the $110,000 XXXX Gold Alice Springs Cup on Monday, May 2.

The $100 000 Holdfast Pioneer Sprint over 1200m will be run on April 30.