TE AWAMUTU NEWS | 1
FRIDAY DECEMBER 13, 2019
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DECEM,BER 13, 2019
Racing’s plastic fantastic By Sophie Iremonger Work on the country’s first synthetic racetrack is set to start next month, the Te Awamutu News understands. The project – which could cost up to $70 million – will make the region a national pacesetter in racing, rowing and cycling. It is understood laying of the synthetic surface will commence in May 2020 and it could be in use three months later. Racing officials are reluctant to discuss details, but it is understood some information was provided at a meeting at the Cambridge Jockey Club this week. An all-weather, synthetic racetrack will replace the existing track at the Cambridge Jockey Club grounds on Racecourse Rd, home of New Zealand’s largest racehorse training facility with 800-1200 horses training there each month. Once completed, it will become a regular facility for midweek race meetings. The News understands racing minister Winston Peters is preparing to announce funding approval for the new track surface. It comes as the Racing Industry Transition Agency (RITA) welcomed the Government’s introduction of the Racing Industry Bill - a major package of reforms to replace the Racing Act 2003. The Bill, which was introduced last week, had its first reading on Tuesday. RITA Chairman Dean McKenzie said the introduction of the bill is a significant milestone for racing and will help achieve the ambitious goals set by John Messara to ensure the sustainability of the racing industry. Racing contributes $1.6 billion to the economy and provides 14,000 jobs. “Cambridge is leading in a lot of sporting areas and racing is one of them,” leading Cambridge trainer Shaune Ritchie, who works out of the Racecourse Rd training track, said. “We need a track that can handle the amount of horses that we’ve got coming through, we’re the biggest training centre in Australasia. “The racing industry is so important for the local town… already with Cambridge having those big studs, breeding a thousand horses – you need riders for those horses, you need fences, and that’s all supplied by the local community. And then clients come and stay in the hotels and motels during track work… so it’s all a big contributor for Cambridge, and it’s only going to get busier, especially with the races on.”
The synthetic track will be made from a sand and polymer binder with a fibre cushion surface and porous drainage base. It is understood part of the funding, $7 million, will be covered by the Government’s Provincial Growth Fund. The News understands civil works will commence next month and the first of site machinery, a plough, is due to be moved on it next week. Camex will be the civil contractor on the project, with
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Clayton Chipperfield, pictured at the Priscott training site on Storey Rd with New Zealand’s leading three-year-old galloper Catalyst.
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Australian company Polytrack set to install the synthetic surface. Te Awamutu trainer Clayton Chipperfield was in full support of the project. “I think it’s a great idea, centralising all the stables in one spot and just having your 52 mid-week meetings on the one course every week, rather than travel all
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