Belmont racetrack issue unresolved as analysis continues
Winter racing at Perth’s Belmont Park remains on hold amid analysis of soil samples on a compromised section of the racetrack.
Perth Racing officials have confirmed that Belmont will remain out of action indefinitely as turf experts continue to work on solving an issue that brought racing to a stop midway through the Belmont Sprint meeting on May 24.
Jockeys said their mounts had difficulty gaining proper footing over a section of the racetrack in the home straight, about 150m from the winning post.
A raceday inspection failed to identify the cause of the problem.
But video evidence showed horses were not comfortable galloping over that part of the track and the meeting was abandoned after five races on safety and welfare grounds.
In consultation with the Victoria Racing Club’s racecourse manager Liam O’Keeffe and Perth Racing officials, geotechnical and environmental experts examined the track on Friday.
Results from a deflectometer, a machine used to measure the rigidness and stability of different layers of soil below the turf, will be subject to further analysis this week.
“Although the results from the lightweight deflectometer provided some valuable preliminary data, further lab-based testing is required to provide additional information,” Perth Racing chief executive James Oldring told The Straight.
Oldring expects the analysis to be completed before the end of the week but Racing and Wagering Western Australia has already transferred Saturday’s meeting, featuring the Group 3 Hyperion Stakes, to Pinjarra. It is the second week in a row Pinjarra will host the feature WA Saturday meeting.
WA metropolitan midweek racing will be held at Northam on Wednesday.
“Whilst we are cautiously optimistic about the return of racing to Belmont Park in the near future, we are unable to provide a definitive date at this stage,” Oldring said.
“We need to wait on the full results of the laboratory-based testing, the final collective analysis and recommendations from the team of agronomists and geotechnical experts and, importantly, the subsequent practical feedback from senior riders after galloping on the surface on multiple days.”
“We are also mindful of the extreme weather forecast for Perth this week, which may have an impact on our ability to undertake any remedial work and practical testing as quickly as we would have liked.
“We appreciate that everyone is keen to return to racing at Belmont Park, but the welfare of our jockeys and racehorses must come first at all times.”
Belmont is renowned for a constant and even drainage rate and shoulders most of the burden for Perth racing across the winter.
Its season runs between May and October, using a rail movement between true and 9 metres for Saturday meetings and 12 metres to 21 metres for midweek fixtures.
Warwick Barr
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