“The grounds team are so experienced and have strong viewpoints, their opinion always has to be considered”
Back row, left to right: Thomas Mitchell, Jimmy Deans (Head Groundsman), Emma Marley (Clerk of the Course), Graeme Anderson (Assistant Head Groundsman), Robert Brown (Gardens Manager), William Seaton (Stable Manager), John Shedden (Tractor Driver). Front row, left to right: Ronnie Clark, William Mitchell, John Clark, Robert Boyd;
wetter months, our consistency of going is improving - but Rome wasn’t built in a day and much more work is needed!” Overseeding has also seen a change of
approach, with better-timed operations and use of new equipment, as Emma explains. “We now use a contractor who has a Moore Uni-Drill to overseed, as opposed to a harrow-based system, which tended to have low germination rates and a high percentage of seed wastage.” “The use of the Moore Uni-Drill, along with pre-overseed scarification - and regular scarification during the season prior to fertiliser application - has significantly assisted sward cover and new species establishment. Many trainers and jockeys have complimented us on turf cover during the season.”
The National Hunt fences and their
take-offs and landings were comprehensively reviewed. The team excavated and relaid two take-offs and landings on the chase course and rebuilt two static fences. “The troublesome landing area of the second last fence in the back straight was removed for the Scottish National fixture due to false and poor draining ground. Fibresand was used in its place and the fence taken out, allowing the horses to race over this area of ground, which worked very well,” reports Emma. “Since this fixture we have re-soiled, turfed and topdressed this area, which has established well and is now a suitable consolidated area of ground to race on.” Like many urban tracks, Ayr suffers vandalism and lost two fences to arsonists last summer. As the second last in the back straight also needed to be rebuilt it was decided to invest in three plain portable fences from Bill Watt Ltd. “These had proved successful at Musselburgh, so we took the staff to see them in action and how they were built at Bill’s yard. The portable fences have allowed us to re-site tricky, high injury rate fences, but also can also be stored safely in the groundstaff ’s compound. We had no racing over the new fences in
102 2010 due to
abandonments but, at our New Year Festival in 2011, the jockeys thought they rode really well and, importantly, we had no fallers or injuries at these obstacles.” A significant level of investment was required to make these changes, but Emma says that Ayr’s executive has been very responsive to her proposals. “We undertook comprehensive
research to decide how to improve the course and consulted experts such as TGMS Ltd and Jay Dobson of the STRI, but the experience and knowledge of my team, especially Head Groundsman Jimmy Deans, was also key. It became obvious that we had to invest in the course to move ahead.”
Emma comments that the biggest challenge of managing a dual purpose track is managing the fixture list and planning grounds operations around a busy programme, not to mention the changeable coastal weather! “Although I came from a summer flat track, luckily Tim Long showed me the National Hunt operations both at Chepstow and Ffos Las racecourses. Embarking on my first National Hunt season was another personal challenge, however, it was seamless thanks to my prior training days, the knowledge of our head groundsman and his team, along with great support from the BHA Inspectorate, Chris Dennis, and Professional Jockeys Association Safety Officer, Richie McGrath.” Like many other courses in the North of the country, Ayr has had to battle another severe winter. “Unfortunately, severe frost arrived at the end of November and didn’t leave until the end of December,” explains Emma. “We lost two of our opening National Hunt season fixtures, but managed to get racing on in the New Year.”
The sward has suffered partly from winter kill and snow mould. Frost heave is always a concern, although the groundstaff check the track for shallow voids using GPR and the good old method of ‘walking and forking’ around known problem areas on a regular basis. “However, the frost wasn’t all bad, as
we were able to aerate the tracks prior to its arrival, which helped to reconfigure our soil structure, and it has killed off niggling grass diseases, such as leaf spot,” Emma comments. Being so far North spring temperatures are slow to arrive, hence the Flat season does not begin until the end of May, and fertiliser application and overseeding are left well into March or early April. “Therefore, it is a challenge to get the jumps track looking in good shape for the Scottish National Fixture in April after a busy winter season,” comments Emma. “The course then tends to dry very quickly in the spring, so we will use a wetting agent prior to the National Festival, which includes seaweed and chelated iron to boost sward health and appearance, and to facilitate effective irrigation.”
Emma comments that the groundstaff
are a delight to work with and very knowledgeable. As well as the racing surface, the team of ten also has the responsibility for maintaining the award winning Western House Hotel gardens on the site, plus paddock and other lawned areas, and consists of Head Groundsman, Jimmy Deans; Graeme Anderson (Assistant Head Groundsman), Robert Brown (Gardens Manager),
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