Equestrian After the move to flat racing, a programme “
of track improvements was instigated with the whole of the straight drained and sand slit. Five areas were also laser levelled and either reseeded or returfed. “More recently, we’ve added additional
More recently, we’ve added additional drainage in wet areas such as the end of the home straight, with more to come this winter on the stands bend where there is some marshy land behind
Nottingham's starting stalls nestle inside the immaculate stable yard
drainage in wet areas such as the end of the home straight, with more to come this winter on the stands bend where there is some marshy land behind." Ron comments that contractors Fineturf
(Lincolnshire) offer an excellent service at a keen price for drainage and for work such as vertidraining and overseeding. “We’re also looking at the construction of a rubber crumb walkway for the pre-parade ring and we have some great local contractors who we can rely on for this type of work.” Developing a targeted machinery policy
has been an important part of Ron’s role in his first eighteen months at Nottingham, and switching work such as verti-draining and overseeding in-house, with the necessary investment in equipment, is on the cards. “It’s an area where we always have to
make sure we are moving forwards, and we’ve had the encouragement and support from the management to invest in machinery for the benefit of the course,” he explains. “Where contract services are working well in the interim, we are looking to do as much as possible in-house, including aerating every six to eight weeks rather than once or twice a year as previously.” “We are already seeing the results:
agronomy audits confirm that turf roots are thriving, and the sward is suffering less damage, which cuts the need for divoting and repair. We have used 59 tonnes of divot mix in total this year so far, compared to 29 tonnes every two to three weeks previously. Improved aeration and feeding requires investment but can also reduce costs.” A recent major machinery purchase was a
An extensive drainage programme has helped to present safe footing throughout the season
second Briggs irrigator with 24m boom. “We can now apply 12-15mm per day, which previously took two days, although we still need a tow line on the cambered bend which can’t accommodate a boom,” explains Ron. “A new inlet from the River Trent has resolved issues with pressure and the hydrants have been refurbished with Bauer connections.”
Along with mowing, irrigation is one of the
most time consuming tasks for racecourse grounds teams, but Ron suggests that keeping everyone in the loop is crucial. “We plan well in advance and let the
groundstaff know when we are going to be irrigating so that they can prepare for a long day, rather than springing it on them,” he says.
Nottingham has benefitted from Jockey Club Racecourses’ preferred supplier deal with John Deere, leasing a new 4066R tractor and Gator XUV 855 utility vehicle and taking on a pair of secondhand 5720s from Newmarket to replace older tractors. “There were cheaper brands of tractor
Briggs booms irrigate most of the course with a tow line filling the gap on a cambered bend
98 I PC OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2015
here in the past, but they just don’t last, so we are now looking for better quality,” comments Ron.
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