Ipswich track centre of highs and lows during big dry

There was much public conversation about the state of the track early in the year following a hot dry summer.

The Ipswich Cup meeting was again a winner for the city in 2019. Picture: Rob Williams

TURF CHAT

AS the final Turf Chat column for 2019, it is appropriate to reflect on the Ipswich racing year, remembering the highs and lows.

There was much public conversation about the state of the track early in the year following a hot dry summer.

It was so dry in January that Queensland tracks were being roundly criticised for being too hard and fast for racing. That is apart from Ipswich where track manager Sean Tou, through use of irrigation, was providing a good 4 rating each race day, and a soft 5 rating prior to the meeting.

This approach was widely applauded with one prominent industry leader in early February suggesting that Ipswich was the best racing surface at that time in South East Queensland.

However, the heavy irrigation approach combined with Racing Queensland funded top dressing between race meetings brought the track undone in late February when a meeting was postponed for a few days as it was deemed unsafe for racing due to a shifty surface from excess irrigation moisture in the newly placed top layer.

The lows were few but significant however there was only one race meeting actually lost across the year, and that was due to the rain affected state of the track. That was on March 8 when 12mm rain on the day was enough to render the track unsafe in the eyes of the stewards.

The result of that lost meeting was a move by Racing Queensland to install drainage, and to upgrade irrigation of the track – works which are currently underway and progressing well. Ironically there was not even a hint of losing another race meeting for any reason for the following nine months.

Now under drought conditions, there are questions over whether saving the rain resultant loss of an average of less than two meetings per annum is justified in performing the drainage and irrigation works necessitating a loss of 21 meetings in the meantime.

However, what is certain is that the result of the track works will be a much more precise and consistent irrigation system along with a better draining track allowing racing to continue on a day of up to 25mm rainfall.

The new track will also however be reliant on adequate and consistent rain which has not been falling that way in recent times.

Community’s Cup Day a highlight

DESPITE Ipswich being under administration and a construction zone at the track, the Ipswich community again strongly supported the Ipswich Cup meeting on June 15, after coming out in force for the family friendly Labour Day meeting in May.

In warmish winter conditions, there was an increase in marquee patrons off the track and some noteworthy occurrences on the track. These included the first time this millennium that a race over 2500 metres was run in the QT Cup.

Additionally, Gai Waterhouse finally won the race named in her honour at the end of the day as Ready To Prophet held off the fast finishing Organza.

Police reported good behaviour overall and the race meeting went off without a hitch on a well prepared surface.

Ipswich Turf Club general manager Brett Kitching. Picture: Cordell Richardson.

Stop-start new facilities

IT has been well documented that the Infrastructure program at the Ipswich Racetrack has been somewhat stop-start.

However all appears on track for the opening of a new racetrack along with the Ipswich Events and Entertainment Centre in mid-2020.

This column will return just after the Magic Millions Day in mid-January, reporting the latest progress with the Ipswich Race Track Infrastructure Project.

Until then all at the Ipswich Turf Club wish patrons, members, and the wider Ipswich community a cheerful and peaceful festive season and a bright, prosperous, and happy new year.

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