Equestrian
The attractive and scenic track at Cartmel draws locals and holidaymakers alike
have to take a hurdle out, but now we can move it,” explains Gary. “The process was so gradual that it was hardly noticeable - there were no comments by jockeys on the ‘new’ ground!” He adds: “When you walk it after racing, the hoofprints on the new ground are virtually identical to those on the original track.”
Another development was to create a
dedicated washdown area off the track. “Stable lads would always wash horses off after the race on the track, which created a wet patch on the turf,” explains Gary. “With some sixty horses per meeting, this could become a serious issue.” A space was cleared between the
workshop and the parade ring and fenced off for unsaddling. In addition to a washdown hose and water butts, the racecourse has invested in water-droplet fans to help cool horses in hot conditions and improve welfare. The fans are located in a marquee to maximise cooling effect and stable staff have access to the area before and after the race. Planning for the following season’s racing
starts as soon as racing ends. “We aim to get the track ready ahead of winter and take advantage of good autumn weather by putting the track back, and taking care of decompaction, overseeding and feeding the turf,” says Gary.
Contractors come in after each race-day to
repair divots using pre-germinated seed in a soil mix, which comes up in less than a week giving the best possible recovery. At our August meeting in this year, the track looked as good as it did at the start of the season,” comments Gary. Winter is taken up with repairs and
maintenance, with two new fences to be built this year and hurdles to be tidied up. Rail and other course equipment is put
away for the winter so, in March and April, there is the task of setting the course out again. Granular fertiliser products are used to
feed the sward, with Gary kicking off the programme in May, followed by slow release products in June/July which carry through to August.
The irrigation system, which comprises
two tow lines and a Briggs turf gun, is relatively easy to operate on the one mile round track, taking Gary and his assistant Martyn Fogg ten hours to complete. “But, as there are only the two of us working full time at the course, it is the only thing that we can do that day!” he points out. Some new pop-ups have been added this
year to complement the main system. A John Deere 1600T wide area mower is said by Gary to be a major step forward in mowing output, and it is out every other day
in the season. “It cuts a lot of grass in a very short space of time. I cut right down to two inches outside the season to give the new seeds a chance to grow through, gradually increasing to the optimum height for racing,” he explains. He cites the racecourse’s good relationship with John Deere dealer Henry Armer and Son as another bonus, and admits that a bigger John Deere tractor would be one item on his ‘bucket list’. Gary comments that, whilst 2015 has
provided ideal growing conditions with wet nights and mild days, keeping ahead of the weather is a constant battle. “We had to dig out part of the course after the extreme weather in 2012,” he comments. “Sand slits were added under the area that we excavated next to the vehicle crossing to encourage water movement, which has worked very well. We have seen improved root growth, root depth and turf quality.” A similar approach has been taken on the
widened track section this winter and, after 190mm of rain in November, Gary reports that there was no standing water on the track.
One recent machinery investment has also
proved a valuable ally against the elements. “We swapped our Verti-Drain for an Imants Shockwave, mainly because it was a better match for our tractor, but it has been
A new washdown area includes cooling fans and is enclosed in a marquee to improve horse welfare on a hot day
102 I PC DECEMBER/JANUARY 2016
Pre-germinated grass seed means that the sward recovers quickly
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