Ecosolve’s Gareth Phillips recently visited Ayr and Musselburgh racecourses in Scotland at the request of the Clerks of the Course to undertake an agronomic inspection of both racecourses. It is a British Horse Racing Association requirement that all racecourses must have an independent agronomic report each year, this includes looking at the condition of the track, sward cover, density and grass health, before undertaking soil profile sampling to ascertain the condition of the topsoil around the track.
Gareth Phillips (left) with Ayr Groundsman John Sweeny
Whilst at Musselburgh, we also undertook an inspection of the all-weather bend on the National Hunt track which involved measuring the depth of track material, assessing the fibre sand profile, infiltration tests through the “running surface and lower drainage membrane” followed up with an extensive series of laboratory tests on samples collected during the visit from the track.
Ongoing infiltration tests through the running surface at Musselburgh Racecourse’s All-Weather Bend.
During Mid October Ecosolve were invited to Sweden by Dennis Madsen, Director of racing for Svensk Galopp, to carry out a full agronomic assessment of the tracks at two racecourses. We visited Bro Park, Nr Stockholm and Goteborg Galopp, Gothenburg and worked with the head groundsman at both courses.
Bro Park has both a flat and National Hunt jumps natural tracks. It can accommodate up to 20 resident trainers and horses at its excellent facilities, which includes the all-weather dirt track for training and racing.
Ecosolve’s Gareth Phillips and Dennis Madsen, Racing Director, Svensk Galopp, on a cold day in Stockholm.
Gordon Street, the head groundsman at Bro Park, is no stranger to Ecosolve, he was previously a Head Greenkeeper in the UK and utilised Ecosolve’s services for undertaking Drill n Fill aeration on his golf greens.
Gordon Street (left) and Gareth Phillips inspect the racing surface.
Goteborg racecourse has a natural turf flat track with an inner smaller dirt all-weather training track set in the countryside to the northwest of Gothenburg and hosts nine race meeting a year.
Sven Rosenqvist Head Groundsman at Goteborg Galopps
