Why redevelop the track?

There were several issues with the performance of the grass track that prompted the decision to re-develop it. These included:

Different Profile on ‘outside bend’

Interestingly the track has two home bends – an inner and an outer one, both of which can be used for race meetings. The outer one was re-built about eight years ago and it is inconsistent with the rest of the track.

Drainage issues (course wide)

Despite a lot of old installed drainage, the track has poor and inconsistent drainage. A lot of the existing drainage is damaged or undersized and it doesn’t encompass the entire track. To improve drainage performance a new drainage system that encompasses the entire track is required.

Aging and poor condition of existing infrastructure (drainage mains and outfalls)

The location and condition of much of the existing drainage collectors and outfalls was largely unknown. When the synthetic track was built, some of these drains were found to be blocked or broken.

Irrigation system deficiencies

The existing system is inadequate and needs to be replaced to give improved coverage and uniformity.

Awapuni track redevelopment project

These works are underway at present. The reconstruction work consists of the following main steps (in order of works):

  1. Killing off and removing the existing turf cover on the entire track.
  2. Earthworks to reshape parts of the surface where required (mainly in the back straight) to give consistent cross falls and level transitions.
  3. Decompaction of the soil profile following earthworks.
  4. Realigning the inside running rail to give a consistent track width (approx. 26m).
  5. Installing a new stormwater drainage system to collect and remove water from surface run-off from the track and from the new lateral / slit drain system to be installed.
  6. Installing a new automatic pop-up irrigation system with sprinklers located under the inside and outside rails (both sides of the track).
  7. Installing 110mm diameter perforated lateral drains in the entire track at 5m centres.
  8. Sand topdressing the whole track with sand to be applied prior to grassing.
  9. Planting and establishing the whole track with a pure ryegrass turf sward.
  10. Installing slit drains in the entire track at 1.0m centres following part way through the grass establishment.
  11. Additional sand top dressing.
  12. Replacement of track perimeter fencing.
  13. Return to racing following NZTR protocols.

All the while that this work is underway the complex has to be kept open as a training venue for the local horse trainers with all the inside training tracks available. Perhaps the biggest impact of this is that daily construction works can’t start until after 9.30am which is when daily track work (horse training) finishes.

Dust management is critical on what is a big site (5.0ha) with some very close neighbours in the path of the wind.