By XAVIER SMERDON
EARLIER this year the Werribee Racing Club welcomed back jumps racing for the first time in years, but it was a different kind of hurdle that made the headlines.
After closing down due to track issues the club had begun to reinstate itself as one of the premier tracks in Victoria.
In fact during last year’s Spring Carnival domestic trainers and jockeys were complaining that the international horses that train on the track had an unfair advantage because it was too good.
But last month during a race meeting the track deteriorated and a horse needed to be euthanized after being injured.
The last two races of the day were also abandoned.
A report has since revealed that extra race meetings and trials held at the club had placed the track under extraordinary stress.
But Werribee Racing Club General Manager, Ross Kendell, said the club was now looking towards the Werribee Cup.
“That was a disappointing time for us, there is no doubt about that,” Mr Kendell said.
“In the lifespan of a racetrack this one is still probably a baby and I think we forgot about that and we probably shouldn’t have worked it so hard.”
Mr Kendell said the track would now have four months without races to prepare for the Werribee Cup on Wednesday 13 November.
“We’ve been getting lots of phone calls from people asking if the Werribee Cup is going to be affected and the answer is there is absolutely no chance in this universe that the Cup will not go ahead,” he said.
“We’re ecstatic about the response from Werribee locals and we’re getting ready to host the international horses again.”
