WA greyhound track upgrades
Work is moving forward to upgrade Western Australia’s greyhound tracks to incorporate the latest design and maintenance standards and ensure high care for racing greyhounds.
Racing and Wagering Western Australia (RWWA) has invested $366,000 on initial enhancements at Northam, Mandurah and Cannington based on recommendations from the University of Technology Sydney review of the three tracks in 2021.
A substantial investment is ahead with the major redevelopment of Mandurah’s greyhound track.
Central to the overhaul is the complete re-build of the existing track in line with recent advances in design and technology.
The scope of work also includes the construction of four clothoidal bends, widening of the track, realignment of the catching pen, state-of-the-art track lighting, new starting boxes, new fencing and a new semaphore board.
Works were scheduled to start shortly but high demand in the WA building industry has moved the date to March 2023.
The changed time frame is unavoidable due to pressure in the building sector on both workers and materials.
In the meantime, RWWA has begun securing equipment and materials for the project to ensure the building work can move forward as early as possible.
Recommendations from the UTS report which have been implemented include:
- New moisture meters have been purchased and are being used to improve the collection and recording of track maintenance data.
- The Cannington track surface has been regraded and survey points have been installed in the track to maintain levels.
- Irrigation has been adjusted at Mandurah to provide extra time for the surface to absorb the water and to establish consistent water absorption for the entire track. The Mandurah tanker has been refurbished to improve water application.
- The Mandurah track is being harrowed (deep raked) all year round, typically every two to three weeks depending on weather.
Improvements have also been completed at Northam to allow better track preparation and ensure safer racing.
The first races at Northam since the upgrades were recently marred by an unfortunate mechanical issue with the lure system. This was completely unrelated to the renovation work.
RWWA is committed to the continuous elevation of standards on WA racetracks and look forward to progressing with the major projects for the benefit of both greyhounds and the sport of racing.