BIG DAY! Preparing for the
There is a long break between the last meeting at Aintree in November and the Grand National in April and there is a perception that there is very little to do during this period. Nothing could be further from the truth as head groundsman, ADRIAN KAY, explains
intree racecourse covers an area of 250 acres, which includes three race tracks - the hurdle course, the Mildmay steeplechase and the Grand National course - and we have responsibility for maintaining all the areas, courses, lawns and surrounds. The winter is, in fact, one of our busiest and most stressful periods. We are faced with trying to renovate, repair and bring on the Aintree course so that it is ready for the most prestigious horse racing event in the world, the John Smith's Grand National, which this year will be held on Saturday 8th April 2006. Our preparations begin straight after our last meeting in November. The aim is to complete as much work as possible before the weather deteriorates and the temperatures drop. This usually involves the following:
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• Divot repairs • Restoring levels • Overseeding • Fertilising • Mowing • Aeration
Divoting: Divot repairs are a priority and need to be completed quickly. Horses, when they land, cause physical damage
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to the turf. Depending on the going, a hoof print will leave a 100-200mm (4-8”) deep punch hole. Multiply that by four hooves and 100 plus horses and the scale of damage that occurs during a race meeting can be imagined. Top dressing the divots is the most efficient and safe method of repair. Forking and lifting the divot is not allowed at Aintree; this method can create inconsistent levels or false ground. The whole operation is quite laborious and requires 50 casual staff with buckets and spades following 10 gators, filled up by JCB’s, back filling the holes with rootzone. We use about 175 tonnes in total.
Restoring Levels: We use Cambridge rollers to reinstate levels and re-firm the turf surface after divoting, rolling the track between fences.
Overseeding: 1600kg (80 bags) of MM50 Perennial rye grass seed @ 35 grams per square metre using a Gannon seeder. We also applied some Italian ryegrass seed, around 40 x 25kg bags. This is a relatively new variety of seed that we have been trialling successfully for a couple of years now.
Fertilising: Bio stimulants are applied to the repaired areas to assist the new seed growth. When conditions allowed, we
applied a winter fertiliser 4/12/12 NPK to assist recovery and keep a good winter colour. The priority throughout the winter months is to keep the sward healthy and free from disease.
Mowing: Over winter we maintain the grass to 75mm (3”) to keep the sward tidy and even. In February and March we gradually increase the height until we reach the Aintree racing standard, set at 100mm.
Aeration: We have our own verti-drain machines, Wiedenmann terra XP aerators, that we use when conditions allow. They are used regularly to de- compact the take off and landing areas. Being a sandy course we have to be careful when we use the machines, we try to avoid aerating during the winter months. In the lead up the Grand National we maintain the course no quicker than a good going.
Other works: From December to March we implement a programme of hydro seeding using Penn mulch, which is made from recycled newsprint and absorbent polymers.The fibre pellets expand and retain moisture. Mixed with water, organic stimulants and grass seed it is then put in a pressurised spray tank and applied to any worn areas. Irrigation
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