By DAVID NAGEL
THE Pakenham Racing Club’s vision of having two world-class tracks to race and train on has become a reality, with the club’s $9 million Polytrack galloped on for the very first time.
Wednesday morning’s first gallop was the first step in the PRC ticking all the boxes ahead of the Polytrack’s grand opening raceday on Tuesday 26 May.
Local track-riders were ecstatic with the surface on the 2000-metre Polytrack, which will complement the 2400-metre turf track, which has won rave reviews from jockeys and trainers who have participated in the first three meetings at the venue.
Local trainer and trackwork rider Tim Hughes said the track felt simply magnificent.
“It was like taking those first four or five steps in a brand new pair of Air-Jordans,” Hughes said.
“It felt fantastic and it’s going to be great for trainers at Tynong.”
The Polytrack synthetic surface will hold its first jump-outs on Tuesday 5 May before hosting official RVL trials on Tuesday 12 May.
In more good news for the club, RVL racing operations manager Paul Bloodworth informed the PRC on Wednesday that two meetings, Thursday 25 June, and Thursday 23 July, have been transferred to the Polytrack.
PRC chief executive Michael Hodge said the Thursday 25 June meeting proved the value of the track, which will be raced on the following day.
“It will almost be like our very own mini-carnival,” Hodge said.
“That will mean back-to-back meetings on the Thursday and Friday in June, and then in July we have four meetings scheduled within a fortnight.”
The PRC’s next meeting is on the turf, on Sunday 17 May.
