Racing returns to Doomben
This weekend marks the first race meeting back at Doomben Racecourse since Oscar Oscar Salons Ladies Raceday, with the course enjoying a break from racing and undergoing a scheduled renovation.
Doomben Racecourse Manager Ross Smith explained that work started on the 23rd October, cutting the track back to three and a half inches, immediately after the races.
“In doing so, it had three weeks from when we stopped racing to when we race again.” Smith said.
Although the modest Racecourse Manager would deny it, a multitude of maintenance took place on the Doomben course proper in the small race free period despite bouts of unpredictable weather.
“1200kg of starter fertiliser, 550kg of sulphated pot ash and 500 tonne of sand were put out onto the track,” Smith said.
“Then the last week we put an application of fungicide and miticide out because of all the humid weather that’s been around.
“We race on Saturday back in the true and hope for some good weather.”
Other work undertaken by the dedicated Doomben Tracks staff include 19mm Hollow Coring (pictured right), sand brushing and Verti Draining with 19mm solid tines.
This Saturday is the start of a busy summer racing schedule for the Doomben track which will host seven race meetings between now and New Year’s Day.
Four of those are feature meetings of Road to Magic Millions presented by TAB, which kicks off on December 4.
The Summer Carnival meetings are littered with Black Type racing including the Group 3 Magic Millions Vo Rogue Plate and a host of Magic Millions Raceday wildcard races on January 1.