Following representations by the ATA and the Geelong Trainers Association, RVL has postponed the extensive remedial work on the Geelong Thoroughtrack, which will enable training to continue at Geelong over the next few months.
If the remedial work had proceeded, Geelong trainers would have been faced with a virtual shutdown of training, with no grass tracks available for training and the sand track also experiencing major problems.
Given these major problems, RVL had little alternative but to postpone work on the Thoroughtrack until the spring so that Geelong trainers, like their counterparts at other Victorian training centres, had access to the training facilities which they are entitled to, in order to enable them to carry out their training profession without being disadvantaged.
RVL expects that given the right weather conditions, the grass track at Geelong will be re-sown and available for racing in July. It is expected that after this work has been completed, the extensive remedial work on the Thoroughtrack will then commence to address the problems which caused the cessation of racing earlier this year.
RVL is also awaiting an engineer’s report on the work required to upgrade the sand track and similarly address the problems which, at times, render it unusable for gallops.
Geelong Trainers Association representative, Glenn Thornton, will continue to work closely with the ATA and the Geelong Racing Club to identify and address training issues at Geelong as they arise.
Click here for RVL's Media Release of 4 May 2009 advising of the postponement of renovation works at the Geelong ThoroughTrack.
Due to the unavailability of the Geelong ThoroughTrack, the race meetings scheduled for May have been transferred as follows :
Friday 15 May - Geelong ThoroughTrack transferred to Kyneton
Friday 22 May - Geelong ThoroughTrack transferred to Pakenham
Friday 29 May - Geelong ThoroughTrack transferred to Kilmore
