Ellerslie's StrathAyr Renovation Accelerated

Following the partial abandonment of race meetings at Ellerslie on 10 and 20 April, Auckland Thoroughbred Racing (ATR) has announced the planned winter renovation of their newly installed StrathAyr track will commence immediately, with their May 25 meeting to be transferred to Pukekohe Park, reports racingnews.co.nz. The club said the decision comes as a proactive response to recent track issues and concerns raised by stakeholders, with officials confident the planned renovation will greatly assist in removing the root mat which has compromised traction. After thorough assessment and constructive dialogue with stakeholders there was a collective agreement that racing could proceed at Ellerslie last Saturday. Despite these concerted efforts to ensure optimal track conditions, unfortunate circumstances arose during Saturday's meeting after a horse slipped during race 6, resulting in the cancellation of the remaining two races for the safety and well-being of all participants. "We find ourselves at a loss for words. Our team shares a sense of disappointment and frustration, not only for ourselves but also for the broader industry," ATR Chief Executive Paul Wilcox said. NZTR Chief Operating Officer Darin Balcombe echoed Wilcox's sentiments and was supportive of Ellerslie's pre-emptive move to Pukekohe.