After the Australian Turf Club finally faced up to the fact the Kensington track wasn’t going to improve just over 15 months ago and it needed a rebuild this morning at headquarters the turf finally started to be laid.

The ATC had attempted to do remedial work on several occasions but it had come to nothing and a full overhaul was needed.

“We’ve decided to rebuild it.  It’ll be a total rebuild from scratch,” were the words of ATC Racing Manager James Heddo 12 months ago.

Heddo was hoping turf would be laid by December 2016 but some 10 months later it’s finally happening.

The club decided to make a clear break from the former surface of Strathayr which was described by those at the club as a failure.

CEO Darren Pearce was quoted at the time saying the new track will be centred around the best drainage system on offer for a racetrack.

“The heart of the new design will be an amplified drainage system, which we are confident will allow the track to perform across the year, especially during periods of poor weather,”

“The system will be world’s best practise and we are very confident the track will be back performing well and a great asset for Sydney racing” ATC Chief Executive Darren Pearce said.

“While it’s taken some time, we are taking every measure to achieve an optimum long-term result for the industry.” Pearce added.

With Sydney’s new showcase race the $10 million Everest only 10 days away both the ATC and RacingNSW were keen to have the Kensington track looking like a racecourse and not a dirt bike track for what they believe will be the ‘world watching’.

By Just Racing