Pollies get behind poly

Pakenham Racing Club’s new facility at Tynong will feature a $9 million world-class 2000m synthetic track to be built by Polytrack. The synthetic track will be the first of its type in Australia and sit between the two sand training tracks and the 2400m turf track. 129378 Picture: STEWART CHAMBERS

By DAVID NAGEL

PAKENHAM Racing Club (PRC), in conjunction with the Victorian Coalition Government, Racing Victoria (RV) and Country Racing Victoria (CRV), has officially announced that Polytrack has won the tender for the Club’s new synthetic racing and training track.
Polytrack is a world-renowned racing surface and is prominent at some of the leading racetracks around the world, including thoroughbred racing and training tracks in the UK, USA, Hong Kong, Singapore and South Africa.
The $9 million world class 2000m synthetic track to be built by Polytrack will be the first racetrack of its type in Australia. More recently, Polytrack was installed at the Caulfield racecourse as a training track and it is receiving considerable praise from Industry participants.
The Chairman of the Pakenham Racing Club, Don Duffy said the current development of the new Pakenham Racecourse would be further enhanced with the building of the Polytrack synthetic racing surface.
“The unique combination of a 2400m fibre reinforced turf track, together with this 2000m Polytrack synthetic track will ensure the Club’s rightful claim to providing two world-class racing surfaces. They will complement each other in the delivery of a premium racing product for the Victorian racing industry.” Mr Duffy said.
The Premier and Minister for Racing, the Hon Dr Denis Napthine welcomed the announcement.
“Pakenham Racing Club’s $70 million racecourse development is Victoria’s first new racecourse in forty years, and it will be a major economic boon for south east Melbourne and West Gippsland,” Dr Napthine said.
“The installation of the synthetic track by Polytrack will make this racing facility one of the best in Australia.
“This new synthetic track will be the catalyst for this development to become home to a major training and racing industry, delivering hundreds of new and ongoing jobs to the region.”
The Coalition Government is providing $3 million towards the installation of the synthetic racetrack through its Victorian Racing Industry Fund, with Pakenham Racing Club contributing $4.5 million and Racing Victoria and Country Racing Victoria providing $1.5 million.
RV Chief Executive, Bernard Saundry, said the synthetic track at Pakenham would be an important asset for the state, providing greater flexibility in programming.
“We’re pleased to support the decision to select Polytrack as the provider for the Pakenham synthetic track following a competitive tender process,” Mr Saundry said.
“This important development at Pakenham means the state now has a synthetic racetrack either side of Melbourne, with Pakenham in the south east and Geelong in the south west, to best manage our racing calendar.
“The Pakenham synthetic track will ease the workload on turf tracks in the south east during the winter period, whilst providing an important transfer venue to ensure meetings are not lost to the region due to wet weather.
Construction will commence in late October and is expected to be completed in March 2015. The first meeting on the Polytrack is scheduled for 26 May 2015.
The Polytrack will also be a vital component of the training facilities at Pakenham and will be available for horse training in March 2015.