StrathAyr On Right Track

Moonee Valley Racing Club's decision to conduct a two-day Cox Plate carnival in October has been read as a massive endorsement for the qualities of its StrathAyr track.

Bill Casimaty, the founder of StrathAyr Allweather Natural Turf Tracks, said 17 years of un-interrupted racing on the StrathAyr surface at Moonee Valley had given the MVRC confidence to hold a night meeting on the eve of the Cox Plate.

He said the Cox Plate race-day was already one of the world's premier meetings and now it would be enhanced as a night-day double header on the durable racing surface.

The StrathAyr track was first developed in Hong Kong 22 years ago, in conjunction with the Hong Kong Jockey Club. Hong Kong still races on those surfaces and, like Moonee Valley, there has never been a cancellation of a meeting because of rain in Hong Kong.

The StrathAyr All Weather Natural Turf System also is in operation at Kranji racecourse, Singapore; Mowbray, Tasmania and the Darley tracing facility at Osborne Park, NSW. And StrathyAyr is currently installing a track at Mackay, Queensland and it will be operation later this year.

Casimaty said it was unfortunate there had been so many recently abandoned race meetings on non-StrathAyr surfaces because of rain. The debate of the lost meetings, and dire financial consequences, had highlighted the ability of StrathAyr tracks to handle wet conditions. This was assisted by the unique design of the substrata supporting the turf below.

"StrathAyr tracks have shown their worth over such a long period with a record of never losing a meeting because of weather," he said. "It is especially pleasing that one of the longest serving tracks is such an important part of the exciting plan to take the great Cox Plate and surrounding carnival to the next level," Casimaty said.

The MVRC is awaiting next month's Racing Victoria Limited board meeting where its proposal for a 17-race, two-day Cox Plate carnival is expected to be ratified. RVL chief executive Rob Hines has confirmed support "in principle" for the plan.

MVRC has estimated the shift would deliver as much as an $8 million increase in better turnover.

StrathAyr Allweather Natural Turf Tracks Release