Winning Post-1500m: Low traffic and low-speed area. Coverage was solid enough but more wear and tear closer to the fence. Can't see it having a bearing on the way they race through here. If anything, may result in slightly heavier legs late in the distance race. Walked a '4'.
1500m-800m (back straight): Coverage much the same as the side. Still thought hard against the fence was slower ground, walks a little more unevenly than out wider. No disadvantage to be sitting in lanes 2 or 3 here in my opinion.
1300m-800m (chute): Might race a little slower hard up on the fence due to slightly more uneven ground. At around the 900m mark there is noticeably more fill close to the fence in lane 1. Decent amount of give in it, felt like a '4'.
800m-400m: I felt the fence was again not as good as the wider lanes. I felt travelling in lanes 2 and 3 would be more beneficial than hard up on the rail where there is slightly more fill. Approaching the 550m mark the wear is more significant on the fence as well as from lane 6 and beyond through trackwork/jump outs. Won't surprise me if horses in lanes 3-6 travel best in this section. Walked a '4'.
400m-Winning Post: Coverage isn't too bad but still thought the fence would race slower as a result of wear/fill from the previous meeting. Won't surprise me if the jockeys just drift a horse or two off the fence in the straight also.
Verdict: The last meeting here was October 2nd with the rail in the True position. There was no advantage for horses racing close to the fence on that occasion and I expect a similar pattern here. Won't surprise me to see riders ease off the fence approaching the turn, so I wouldn't be penalising horses that map to blend into the race from midfield positions. Assuming irrigation is applied on Friday night I think the track will be in the Good 4 range.
Track walked at 2.30pm local time, 21 October 2021.
