CLUB BOSS: Toowoomba Turf Club chairman Bob Frappell. Nev Madsen
CLIFFORD Park racing will go into a recess for four weeks from next month while maintenance work is carried out on the track.
Racing at Toowoomba Turf Club has been cancelled on January 24, 31 and February 7 and 14 before resuming on Saturday, February 21.
The hold on Clifford Park racing will allow for a major track overhaul in preparation for the club's stand-alone Weetwood Handicap program on Saturday, May 2.
The maintenance will be carried out by the track builder StrathAyr Turf Systems under warranty.
Racing began on the rebuilt grass course proper on New Year's Eve last year.
The track has since experienced teething problems, but TTC chairman Bob Frappell said that despite its improved condition in the second half of the year, next month's work was vital to its long-term future.
"There is an issue with the grass thatching underneath the track surface," Frappell said
"StrathAyr Turf Systems has recommended a solution similar to the one they applied to the Kensington track at Randwick and our club doesn't feel it's in a position to decline the work offer.
"StrathAyr will supply the machinery to carry out deep scarifying of the track.
"The track has improved out of sight since we appointed Chris Nation as our track manager midway through the year and it will be in great order for our major New Year's Eve meeting next week.
"But longer term we feel it's necessary to sacrifice four meetings during what is traditionally one of our busiest periods of the year to have the track performing at its optimum.
"We were going to be off on February 14 and March 7 anyway. But this month-long break will allow for all the work to be compressed.
"We will be under the national industry spotlight for our historic Weetwood meeting on May 2 and we want to be sure we present a showpiece race day.
"To do that we need to take our medicine now and hopefully reap the benefits long term."
No announcement has been made on which venues will pick up the cancelled Clifford Park race days.
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