Improvement to turn at Washdyke completed

Press, Volume CXVI, Issue 34047, 10 January 1976, Page 7

Improvement to turn at Washdyke completed

Work on the realignment of the running rail or. the bend out of the home straight on the all-weather trotting track at Washdyke was completed this week and the improved surface will be in use for the first time at the Timaru Trotting Club’s meeting today. The bend had been a source of concern for both drivers and officials for some time. Horses frequently broke for no apparent reason where the turn began, just past the winning post. The new running rail, which extends for a distance of about 40 to 50 yards from the winning post to the crossing, has been set out about 10 feet from the original running rail at its widest point to give a more sweeping radius to the turn.

Although most of the work on the alterations to the contour of the bend was done voluntarily by committeemen and stewards of the club is was certainly not a rushed job. The decision to make the change was made as far back as last August. Since then much experimental work, under the guidance of a team of surveyors and with the help of the local trotting trainer, George Shand, and members of his team, was carried out before work on the new running rail started. The above photograph, taken a few weeks ago, shows the original running rail still in place and progress being made in the construction of the new rail.