Victoria Amateur T.C. switch from Caulfield to Sandown

Press, 7 May 1987, Page 47

Victoria Amateur T.C. switch from Caulfield to Sandown

NZPA-AAP Melbourne The Victoria Amateur Turf Club will hold its May 23 meeting at Sandown instead of previously scheduled Caulfield. The VATC has also released distance changes for three events due to the transferred meeting. The Pooley Bridge Hurdle has been increased 50 metres in distance to 3300 m while the Manfred Handicap has been bumped up 100 m to 2100 m.

Meanwhile, the Zephyr Bay Plate has been reduced in distance from 1100 m to 1000 m. The transfer of the meeting comes after

criticism by jockeys of the Caulfield track at the Easter Saturday and Monday meetings and at last Wednesday’s meeting. Riders opted to swing wide down the railway side of the course and most winners finished in the middle of the track.

The inside section seemed to be considerably softer than the outside.

Victoria Racing Club chairman of stewards, Pat Lalor, handed a report on the Caulfield track to the VRC last week — the principal club in Victoria — and talks were held between members of the

VRC and the VATC committees at the Racing Centre last Friday.

In a statement released after that meeting, the VATC defended criticism of the Caulfield track by saying it had long term plans to get Caulfield back to a dependable surface.

Corrective work has been in progress over the last 12 months but the results have not been satisfactory to date from the jockeys’ point of view.

The VATC has taken steps to level out the Caulfield course by establishing a turf nursery and further extensive returfing will be carried out next spring.

The inside nine metres of the track, which has been renovated and closed for racing recently, is expected to be available for winter racing while the area presently being used, is to be regrassed in the “major works” to be done after the Spring Carnival.