Horse Racing: Tracks Get Moving on Ground Fears

Punters at Market Rasen today are unlikely to notice any difference as the runners negotiate the hurdles and fences in the home straight. But subtle changes are afoot at the Lincolnshire track as part of a new policy by the owners, Racecourse Holdings Trust, aimed at providing the best underfoot conditions in difficult circumstances.

The state of the ground, and in particular the standard of take-offs and landing sites at fences, came under more intense scrutiny recently when Henrietta Knight, the trainer of the late Best Mate, criticized the condition of some tracks when trying to find a suitable race for her novice chaser, Racing Demon.

Market Rasen, which also caters for summer jumping, has developed "racing lines" for different parts of the year. "We moved our fences off the summer line before Boxing Day," said Nick Patton, clerk of the course at Market Rasen. "In 10 days’ time we race again, and the hurdles will be moved to fresh ground. Trainers welcome the movement of fences."

At Haydock Park, another RHT track, movable brush-type hurdles have been in use for four years and now Kirkland Tellwright, the clerk of the course at the Lancashire venue, has started to explore the possibility of portable fences. This might alarm jumps followers who recognize Haydock and its fences as a proper test - the course hosts the Red Square Vodka Gold Cup, an important Grand National build-up race, on Saturday week.

"There is a balance to be struck," says Tellwright. "We wouldn’t want to undo 100 years of heritage in one stroke. But we have built a prototype fence, which fits on to the same portable chassis as [the movable] hurdles, and the birch is stuffed into the frame in the same way as now. The sections can be wheeled around and give us the chance to rest the ground. But we haven’t done any schooling over it yet."

The 13 courses run by RHT are currently working towards a standard policy for turf husbandry. "We would like to have a six-week gap between the growing season, April and October, so tracks have an opportunity to bed down," says John Maxse, director of communications for RHT, while acknowledging that an ever-expanding fixture list makes life tough for course clerks and groundsmen.

Ground conditions will determine the shape of the feature races at Newbury on Saturday. With Ruby Walsh injured, Mick Fitzgerald will ride Kauto Star in the Game Spirit Chase provided the going is not too fast. Two leading Gold Cup contenders, Monkerhostin and Celestial Gold, could clash in the Aon Chase, while 36 hurdlers have stood their ground for the totesport Trophy, headed by Al Eile.

For that race connections of the well-backed Penzance may have to find a new rider for the Triumph Hurdle winner, as Robert Thornton, stable jockey to Alan King, could be required to partner the novice chaser Voy Por Ustedes at Warwick.