Gold Coast back in business

Racegoers in Queensland have watched this situation play out several times before and, while they want to remain positive … it is a fact, you have to be an optimist to be in this game … past history suggests they might just prefer to wait for this one to play out before giving a nod of approval.

Certainly, the announcement that the turf track proper at the Gold Coast is back in business was most welcome. That announcement came on the back of five trials on Wednesday morning which tested the readiness of the turf racing surface following a prolonged period of racing on the Poly Track.

There is also confirmation that the first meeting back on the grass at the Gold Coast will take place on September 7, a meeting which will offer patrons free entry.

The track will then be given a week’s break (that September 14 meeting will be back on the Poly Track), but racing will then return to the grass on September 21 when the club will host the Pink Ribbon race-day with the action taking place at Metropolitan level.

The hope is that it will be onwards and upwards from there with Racing Queensland penciling in two twilight meetings on October 5 and December 7 where the new floodlights will light up the last couple of races of those two race programs.

The first full night meeting at the venue is scheduled for December 20.