New turf being laid at Ballarat racecourse

The first sections of turf for the $1.5 million upgrade to the Ballarat Turf Club track were rolled out yesterday.

According to Ballarat Turf Club CEO Lachlan McKenzie there should be around three hectares of turf laid between now and the Christmas period.

“The new turf arrived and started being laid this morning,” McKenzie said.

“The dip in the straight has been filled and the whole home straight has been relevelled so it has the required slope.”

Jockeys pushed for the levelling because they felt horses were sometimes getting a bit lost as they went down the dip.

The track refurbishment will provide a flatter surface for racing and a much more fairer track for everyone.

More than eight hectares of the new turf would be laid by late January and the facelift is being filmed for a special educational documentary.

Racing on the newly laid turf is expected to take place in May next year and the Ballarat Turf Club will be all the better for it.