By David Gilbert
IN what is another setback for the Mount Gambier Racing Club, the return to racing at Glenburnie has been deferred until late February, 2022.
Club officials had originally pencilled in the first meeting for Friday, December 3, but following discussions here this week with SA Racing industry track manager John Tomani, it has been agreed to take a conservative approach and postpone the reopening of the track to give the turf further time to fully establish.
“To be honest, the track’s not ready to race on and, if it’s not 100 per cent, we will not proceed”, newly elected MGRC president Peter George stated following the decision.
“We haven’t had the sun and the wet and cold conditions experienced in recent months have not helped.
“If we had got to race three or four on December 3 and discovered the track was not right, it would have been terrible.”
It means the race meetings originally scheduled for Mount Gambier in December and January will remain in the Limestone Coast but will be held at Penola and Bordertown.
The Mount Gambier track will be put to the test with barrier trials on Friday, February 11 when hopefully the all clear will be given to race for the first time since June 2021 on Wednesday, February 23.
“Following the meeting on February 23, the track will be oversown so our meeting on Friday, March 18 will be at Penola,” George added.
“The Mount Gambier Gold Cup meeting will now be on Friday, April 1, replacing the meeting scheduled for Wednesday, March 30 which has been given to the Oakbank club.”
