John Reynolds meets CRAIG WILLIAMSON, Estate Manager at Sandown Park, who is responsible for all turf surfaces on the site. No mean feat at a ‘year round’ venue that hosts Flat, Hurdles and National Hunt meetings
W
hen legendary jockey, Fred Archer, rode a winner during the inaugural meeting of 1875, in
torrential rain, history was in the making. Today, Sandown Park Racecourse is justly famous worldwide and still echoing to the past heroic feats of Arkle, Mill Reef and Desert Orchid. It was to become the favourite course of the Queen Mother and is now one of the most modern racing venues in the UK. The course was specifically designed and purpose built for horse racing at a time when most courses simply evolved amongst existing natural surroundings. It is unique in being the only UK course catering for all three disciplines of Flat racing, Jumps and Hurdles at the same two day event. When you consider that Sandown is also one of the smallest racecourses in the country, the sheer organisational skills required to stage such spectaculars become only too apparent. Voted by the Racegoers Club as “South East Racecourse of the year” year in year out, Sandown also won the Neil Wyatt Award in 2004 as “Dual Purpose Course of the Year.” Located 15 miles South West of London at Esher in Surrey, it is certainly to be counted, and included, in the top five UK race courses. There are 59 racecourses in Britain at the last count. Some stage both Flat and National Hunt (also known as Jumps) events, others stick to just one category. All courses have their own particular traits, some are right handed or left handed, and others are described as “pretty flat” or with “testing undulations”.
Nearly all the courses are turf, with
some exceptions such as Lingfield, Southwell and Wolverhampton being all weather facilities. Flat racing on grass generally begins in late March in Britain and goes through to November. National Hunt racing at Sandown follows on from November to April. Unlike Flat racing this category involves jumping a minimum of eight obstacles during the race. These can be either hurdles or the much larger fences; naturally turf damage is very different in character between the varying types of racing. With top race winning horses valued at £15 million upwards, and watching spectator crowds of up to 20,000 at Sandown, safety for the animals is paramount. Ground conditions can be dangerous and have a significant effect on the chances of a horse winning or not. Horses being highly intelligent, sensitive creatures, have preferences for particular courses and conditions and will perform accordingly.
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STUN SAN
Graig Williamson, Estate Manager at Sandown is responsible for the maintenance and general up-keep of all turf surfaces at the venue. He hails from a horse racing family and has spent his entire working life in the industry. Graig lives with his wife and two young daughters in provided
accommodation within the course
boundary. He arrived at Sandown in 2000 from Worcester Race Course, where he spent a seven month stint with the course regularly under flood water. Prior to that he had worked and trained at Epsom course since leaving school. Seven day working weeks are a
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