Track switch at Ellerslie

Press, 19 July 1988, Page 33

Track switch at Ellerslie

PA Auckland Auckland Racing Club officials have salvaged the races at Ellerslie today by switching the meeting to the outside track. But if heavy showers continue, a decision to postpone the meeting could still be made at 6 a.m. today. Course manager, John Ridley, said 10cm of surface water on the home turn must drain away before the main track could be used. Mr Ridley called in stipendiary steward, Les Muirhead, yesterday morning

to inspect the inside course which he described as the worst he had seen during 15 years in racing. With 109 mm of rain since Friday evening, Mr Ridley said the ground was waterlogged. “It’s very, very wet. It’s so soft, it’s just not funny. There’s not too much surface water but there’s a bad spot at the 750 m where I think we’ve got a drainage problem, and it’s also very wet near the pedestrian crossing.” Mr Muirhead said the meeting could not be run safely on the inside track.