Wet weather tests tracks maintenance team

Spare a thought for the Rockhampton Jockey Club track maintenance team. Track manager Trent Williams and his team are busy getting the Callaghan Park course spot on for next week’s two-day Capricornia Classic race days and the weather has not been kind for preparations this week.

More than 230mm of rain has fallen in just over a week, soaking the racecourse, training tracks and stable facilities, with half of the total rain falling at the start of this week.

Gutters were clogged and trees fell during the big deluge adding to the team’s workload. But the show goes on and Williams is confident with more favourable weather in the forecast he can have the track “spot on” for the races next Friday and Saturday. “We have had plenty of rain but not as much as some of our neighbours, so we should count ourselves fortunate for that,” Williams said. “We just work through it and do what we can.”

Williams said the moveable running rail will be 3 metres out from its true position for Friday’s Country Cup TAB race meeting and remain there for the big show on Saturday featuring the $168,000 Capricornia 2YO Classic and the $118,000 Capricornia 3 & 4YO Classic. The features will be supported by the annual RRC $30,000 Mayors Cup.

RJC CEO, David Aldred.