Polytrack- Open invitation

Regardless of what your opinion is of Craig you have to give credit where credit is due. Well done on organising this initiative, if I were in KZN I would love to have attended.

Rowdy wrote: Pirates will be there and I believe he's sponsoring the sticky buns and coffee.

From what I've read in other posts, only if it was at Clairwood

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If you are sane and logical you have to agree with rob they cramped two tracks into the space of one . That's the problem not the poly , in fact the worst part of the poly is the bends are very tight and that is the main cause of stress on the horses .

TRAINERS have thrown their support behind Newcastle's first fixture on Tuesday as an all-weather venue, with 177 horses entered on Wednesday for next week's £60,000 seven-race card.

Arena Racing Company's decision to tear up the widely acclaimed turf course in favour of Tapeta was controversial and condemned by many.



Mark Johnston, who was particularly outspoken in his criticism expressing his dismay at "the terrible imbalance towards all-weather racing" is responsible for nine entries, while trainers from both Newmarket and Lambourn join their northern-based counterparts in supporting the debut fixture.

Ralph Beckett, who said it was "difficult to think of a more depressing announcement for the sport" when the switch was made, has not made any entries, but Newmarket trio Hugo Palmer, Roger Varian and Sir Michael Stoute are among those with potential runners.



The newly-laid Tapeta surface at Newcastle received the thumbs-up from trainers and jockeys after a successful trial took place at the course earlier this month.

Jockey Paul Mulrennan said: "It is riding really well, it is amazing what they have done in a short space of time. I would say this is probably the fairest of the all-weather tracks, the best horse is always going to win here."

George Duffield summed up the situation when he said: "I wasn't in favour of the change to the all-weather, many people saw it as a cardinal sin, but it is here now and we have got to get on with it.

"This is the first time I have ridden on this sort of surface other than at Mark Johnston's and I thought it was superb. It will suit all horses as it is not too quick, not too slow and with no kickback."

Mile straight Tapeta at Newcastle, can they not do that at the Vaal ?

Well done for being pro-active Craig and i agree, those with questions about the poly should attend.

I would like to meet GC and discuss the turf track, the jocks are unhappy saying that it is very "patchy" but more importantly for me I would like some of the questions that Rob has raised answered. We debated this at nauseum when it was happening and there are yet to be any positive changes.

We have scratched our 2yr old from Fridays meeting as i have no interest in racing on the poly neither do i buy yearlings to be raced on poly. Poly has its place for the different MR races and horses that are in their place at 4yrs old but as an owner i have no interest in racing on poly.

For the past two years the JULY result has not been without controversy as the course is now a lot more narrow. Why have we taken the venue of the biggest race on our calendar and cut the track in half? Why do GC not move the poly track to Summerveld and have a second grass track there as well?

The current turf track doesn't drain properly and neither can you race too often on it in short if is a total mess. I wonder how they race so often in Hong Kong on their tracks??? They must have artificial turf.

Sha Tin, Happy Valley and Kranji all use the Strathayr turf system

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Trainers are so enthusiastic bout the poly that season has begun and a seven race program for a Friday... That itself answers question as to how racing declined in Kzn.....big high five Gold Circle.

Venodh, it is all about the races put on. In 2 races on the 18th there were 75+ acceptors. Scottsville 22nd 8 races nominated for, 318 nominations. Greyville 25th Poly, 8 races, 454 nominations. Wrong races get small fields. Only a small minority of trainers complain about the poly. Chatted to a vet yesterday and he has put more horses down after racing on grass then on poly.

If you wear flip flops does the poly squidge through your toes?

Its probably explained like thick brown sugar.

Thats sweet Craig :lol: