By any measure the first race meeting staged on the Cambridge Jockey Club’s synthetic Polytrack surface was a resounding success.
Speculation abounded in the lead-up to last Wednesday’s ninerace programme, but as the day drew closer, the positive vibes outshone any others. Full fields resulting in 101 starters provided a solid platform, the roll-up crowd on what was essentially an Industry raceday was everything that could be expected, and from the time the field jumped for the opening race it became obvious there were more winners than just those first across the line.
“We couldn’t have been happier with the way the day played out,” CJC chief executive Mark Fraser-Campin enthused when RaceForm caught up with him. “We’ve learnt a lot, and that was always to be expected, but it all went very well and gave us plenty to build on.
“We didn’t do an official headcount of how many people turned up – that’s been calculated at somewhere near a thousand – however as a first-ever race meeting at this track, it made us realise it mightn’t have been just the novelty of the occasion. It could be once we settle into our regular fortnightly schedule the numbers attending will be more than we might have originally expected.”
Alongside actual starter numbers, a crucial metric for any race meeting is betting turnover, and on that score it measured up. Figures supplied by the TAB show that overall turnover was $1.2 million, which is in line with expectation for a Wednesday northern thoroughbred meeting.
Turnover per starter amounted to $12,000, which compares with $12,800 for a Wednesday northern thoroughbred meeting and an overall median of $12,400 this calendar year. On-course turnover was $42,000, which taking into account the number of starters, ranks fourth for Wednesday thoroughbred meetings this year.
However the biggest surprise of all was that Cambridgetrained horses did not dominate despite weight of numbers and their greater experience of the Polytrack surface. The day’s 101 starters comprised 56 locals and 45 trained on other tracks, but the results did not reflect those numbers.
Three Cambridge-trained horses won, a figure matched by Matamata, while Te Awamutu provided two and the remaining winner came from the Rogerson Racing private facility. Further analysis of the results shows that local horses filled 14 of the 27 top three places, just one more than the visitors.
As an incentive for the connections of horses other than those trained on the course, those figures are compelling. So too for all participants, the pattern of racing that was quickly laid bare when the trainer-jockey combination of Darryn and Sam Weatherley combined to win the first race with Champagne Princess.
As can be the case on any track, the outcome was temporelated. In the wide belief that a horse had to be on the pace to be given any chance – and in this trainers share responsibility with jockeys – the contest for the lead in the 1550m opening event was intense, setting it up for the winner to swoop from off the speed and race clear. The other relevant factor that became apparent as the day progressed was that despite the relatively short home straight, horses were able to come from off the pace thanks in no small part to the well-cambered turn.
The overall success of the day came as a massive relief for all parties involved in the project, particularly those aligned with the CJC. “I’ll sleep well tonight, much better than the past couple,” commented Fraser-Campin once opening day racing was done and dusted. “We didn’t hear much in the way of grizzles or complaints – maybe the beer not being cold enough early in the day was the most significant, so that’s got to be a pass mark.”
Synthetic racing will become a fortnightly Wednesday staple through to late spring, but big plans are afoot in the meantime. Most significant is the final meeting of this season on July 28 when four races will carry stakes of $40,000, while next Wednesday’s fixture will carry prizes aligned with the Harness Jewels meeting at nearby Cambridge Raceway scheduled for the following Sunday, June 6.
“The $40,000 races will all be run under the MAAT system (maidens at midnight Tuesday 18 May) and field selection will be based on points earned in previous starts on the synthetic,” explained Fraser-Campin of the day that will also mark the official opening of the track.
“Funding for the races will include input from the various contractors involved in the project, and we see the day as a celebration of what we achieved to this point.”
Next Wednesday the jockeys of selected runners will wear the yellow Harness Jewels colours and the connections of each of those horses will receive a hospitality package to the Harness Jewels meeting, while there will be a bonus package for the connections of any horse that wins in the Jewels colours.
Planning is also underway for a “20/20” raceday in August, when races will carry a stake of $20,000 and be run at 20-minute intervals.
