PHUMELELA Gaming and Leisure is to replace the problematic sand track at the Vaal Racecourse with a turf surface in what is the first strategic step towards the installation of a synthetic racing surface in Johannesburg.
Turf is the best racing surface in summer as the Highveld winter causes grass tracks to harden and divot repairs cause inconsistencies on the course track.
Since its introduction in 2001, the sand track has been marred by a host of opinions and criticisms. At the request of horsemen, a few years ago, the top layer of washed river sand was replaced with unwashed river sand which allegedly exacerbated rather than resolved the problem.
It’s also dubious whether the Vaal sand track will be environmentally or commercially sustainable in the future. The track requires copious volumes of water that are currently freely available from the Vaal River, but that may not be the case in years to come.
After taking all these factors into account and consulting with a cross section of trainers, Phumelela management recommended to the board that the sand be replaced with turf. The Phumelela board ratified the recommendation last week and the sand track will be closed after the last of six scheduled meetings in October.
The sand will then be lifted and stockpiled for use elsewhere. Once the sand is lifted from the 60 000 square metre track, work will begin on creating a suitable medium for grass to grow in. The new grass has already been ordered and is scheduled to be laid in January.
The configuration of the track will remain unchanged and the first race meeting on the track will resume in May next year.
