Vaal turns back the clock as straight to be opened
Dividing the straight in half is proving inefficient in terms of track maintenance.
Barahin, left, pips Soqrat in the Grade 2 Golden Horseshoe at Greyville. Picture: Gold Circle
The Vaal Inside and Outside tracks will cease to be treated as separate racing surfaces from the meeting at the venue on 13 November.
The two separate surfaces were created from one circuit – the out-side half of the 1600m straight (Vaal Outside) and the inside half of the straight and the turn (Vaal Inside).
Dividing the straight in half is proving inefficient in terms of track maintenance.
Consequently, the in-side and outside rails of the straight course will be moved so as to maximise both the racing surface and the recovery of other areas.
As examples the straight course at a race meeting may comprise the middle of the straight or the inside or outside halves.
Positioning of the rails will be made public before meetings.
There will continue to be race meetings on the straight course only and the venue title for such fixtures will be Vaal Straight.
The venue title for race meetings with races round the turn or a combination of races down the straight course and round the bend will simply be Vaal.
The Vaal Classic track on the inside of the main circuit will be unaffected.
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