Sunshine Coast Turf Club’s synthetic track to get $8.9m upgrade

It’s been a long time coming but patience has paid off for the Coast racing community as a multimillion-dollar upgrade to the turf club gets under way.

Works on the $8.9 million new synthetic track project at the Sunshine Coast Turf Club started on Monday. Picture SCTC

It's been a long time coming but patience has paid off for the Coast racing community as a multimillion-dollar upgrade to the turf club gets under way.

Works on the $8.9 million new synthetic track project at the Sunshine Coast Turf Club started on Monday, with the upgrades to create 24 jobs.

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Equine surface specialists Martin Collins Australia will install the new all-weather Polytrack surface at the busy Corbould Park venue.

It's expected to take nine months to complete.

Turf Club CEO John Miller was pleased to see works begin.

"The club has put in a lot of work over many years and obviously the old cushion, synthetic track, that's being replaced is coming up nearly 13 years old," Miller said.

"Originally, when it was put in it had a 10 year lifespan back with the old technology … and we found at that 10 year mark it was pretty much done.

"So, I acknowledge our trainers for being pretty patient over the last few years and having to work with what has been a substandard surface for them.

"But, they know we've been working really hard with Racing Queensland to get a new synthetic track."

Miller said it wasn't just the synthetic track being upgraded, with plenty of other works being conducted to provide a "first class training facility".

He said an irrigation system would be installed for the new surface so temperatures can be managed in hot weather.

Miller said the 'B' grass track would also receive a new sand slit drainage system to improve that surface.

"Then there's a plough track inside of the 'B' grass which we will re-do the surface on that so that allows a track outside of the other ones for slow work in the mornings.

"Once they're all done it provides a really good training set up for the trainers here."

He said upwards of 430 horses trained at the turf club each morning and that was set to rise up to 550 each day when new stables are built later this year.

Along with training, Miller said the new all-weather synthetic track would also host race meets in conjunction with the grass track.

Coast trainer Natalie McCall said the synthetic track upgrade would prove a "massive" boost.

"The new poly track is going to have some great benefits for us here at Caloundra," she said.

"Obviously, being an all weather track is going to be great for us because we get plenty of rainfall here and on the flip side some quite hot weather as well so it's going to be a nice consistent surface for us going forward.

"The punters can rest assured knowing the horses are getting the right work and owners know the horses are getting A1 standard for facilities

"Everything is great here and that'll just add to it now."

The synthetic track upgrade is co-funded via the Queensland Government, Racing Queensland and the Sunshine Coast Turf Club.

Originally published as Sunshine Coast Turf Club’s synthetic track to get $8.9m upgrade