Kensington Track Clear For Action: Murphy
- Thursday, 20 November 2014 07:17
Australian Turf Club racetrack manager Lindsay Murphy is confident the Kensington circuit will stand up to Saturday's eight-race card but admits the track isn't perfect.
The track has not been used for a race meeting since October 22 when it came under scrutiny because of the amount of kickback it produced.
It didn't recover in time for a scheduled Saturday meeting earlier this month, forcing officials to make a switch to the Randwick course proper.
Murphy's team has since tweaked its watering methods and performed some minor remedial work to have the track in acceptable race-day order.
"It's not going to look perfect but it's going to be better than it was," Murphy said."
"There will still be some kickback and so on, but hopefully not as bad as the other day.
"We have cored it and done different watering to try and alleviate it so hopefully that will all help."
The Kensington circuit is scheduled to host a twilight meeting next week and another Saturday card eight days later before it is closed for six weeks for a more serious renovation.
Given the surface was only laid 12 months ago, officials weren't expecting to have to rip the top of it out so soon.
However, Murphy said the track's problems were superficial and didn't affect a horse's performance.
"It's not a thing that really affects their chances, it's an aesthetic thing that looks a bit ordinary," he said.
Saturday's program has bigger fields than in recent meetings with five races having more than 10 runners.
Godolphin has two of the early favourites, two-year-old Italy in the Surf Meets The Turf Plate and Federal in the Inglis Premier Yearling Sale 1-4 March 2015 Handicap.
However, it is a former member of Sheikh Mohammed's team who trainer Greg Hickman is hoping can strike a blow.
Two-time city winner Citations is first emergency for the Hunter Valley Horse Capital Handicap and Hickman regards him as a knockout chance if he gains a start.
"He trialled well the other day. It's probably a bit short for him on Saturday but he is a fresh horse and he's been working well," Hickman said.
The Warwick Farm horseman will also saddle up Perfect Weapon and Dream Folk at Saturday's meeting.
