Equestrian
“
We still have to manage the new ground in a totally different way to the back straight. It needs more feeding, more water and takes up more time
The old sward was removed using a Combinator In spring 2014, a survey of
the course found that some of the undulations were two to four inches in depth. “It doesn’t sound much,” says
Richard Aldous, “until you consider that the horses are travelling at 35mph and that the going tends to be good to firm. We observed that the running line had also changed over the years as jockeys sought the best ground, moving from the stand rail to the middle of the track.” On 20th September 2014,
work began to strip the turf with a Combinator, before the topsoil was removed in 150m sections, the subsoil levelled and topsoil replaced and also levelled.
“We got to a furlong from the
end towards the back of October 2014, then the heavens opened, and the track flooded,” says Richard Aldous. “It was a very difficult and
frustrating time,” recalls Richard Bradley. It was not until the beginning of March 2015 that the job was completed.” Getting the new sward to
establish proved equally exasperating, as he explains: “In 44,000m2
of grass, there are
always going to be areas that don’t take as well. We were hand watering and doing anything we could to get the grass to grow in a few specific areas.” The coastal influence of the
site doesn’t help, with cold winds in spring, little rainfall in summer and wet, cold autumns. “It’s a micro climate and can
be a difficult place to grow grass during the spring with the cold northerly winds,” agrees Richard Aldous.
But it was crucial to get the
best possible conditions before racing started again. “The demand to supply good going
82 I PC APRIL/MAY 2017
has increased considerably over the years - everyone has higher standards these days.” Richard Aldous comments
that trainers understand that the new track will take time to become established. “They accept that the turf is not the same as on the older parts of the track because the soil structure takes time to settle down. Year on year, it will improve, plus we have the benefit of the latest seeds and fertilisers, so it should be better than ever.” Investment in machinery to
maintain the new ground is an essential strand of the support given by ARC, Richard Bradley points out. “We purchased a Verti-drain so that we can decompact whenever it is needed, rather than relying on contractors, and it proved vital in helping the turf establish.” Seed that had come up well
started to struggle due to compaction, so Richard started an intensive programme of treatment, using the new Verti- Drain, an Earthquake linear decompactor and a slitter. “It was a steep learning
curve,” admits Richard Aldous. “We still have to manage the new ground in a totally different way to the back straight. It needs more feeding, more water and takes up more time.” Fertiliser proved crucial to
getting the new grass to thrive, first a granular application then a liquid mix, before returning to monthly applications of products varying from a standard 12:6:8 to controlled release formulations. Great Yarmouth was back in action in August 2015. The main concern was whether the course was able to withstand the extremes that the elements could produce, and it was not to
Germination covers in place in March 2015
Topsoil relaid and cultivated after it was stripped and the subsoil levelled
Ready for action in May 2016
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