At time of walking the track was being manually irrigated in sections, as a result some areas were wet and others hadn't been watered yet.
Winning Post-1500m: The track had been verti-drained since last meeting. As a result the stick goes in without too much pressure which should mean the track isn't too firm for raceday. This section walked a '4' but hadn't been watered yet. Coverage was good and it walked evenly.
1500m-800m: This section had good give in it courtesy of the verti-draining. There was slightly more sandfill in a few sections, mostly in lanes 1 and 2. Hard to get a good reading on this section as some areas had been watered and others not. Approaching the 950m mark there is some wear and tear just off the fence.
800m-400m: Also enough give in this section through the verti-drain being used. Thought hard up on the fence was as good as anywhere, perhaps lane 2 might race a bit slower. Once the surface water evaporates I think the track will be somewhere between a '4' and a '5'. The rail has been in the 3m (twice), 4m and 5m positions since the last meeting in True. The fence should be good ground on that, and having walked it I wouldn't deviate too far from that opinion.
400m-Winning Post: I thought this part of the track walked best which is good news as it's the business end of the race. The additional wear that is mostly prevalent in lane 2 disappears and the surface is evern with good give in it. Coverage also strong here so I think all the horses will appreciate the surface.
Verdict: Rail back to the True position for the first time since September 1st. There's been four meetings since then with the rail out an average of 4m around the home turn, but True in the straight for a couple of them. I thought hard on the fence might be a slight advantage as lane 2 has a little more fill and a few spots where the coverage under foot isn't as strong. Out beyond lane 5 and 6 may also appeal more than lanes 2 and 3. Hard to be super-confident in track rating as it had been part-watered when I walked it but having been verti-drained I don't think you'll find a super-firm track despite extreme weather conditions in the lead up. If the track firms up there's a chance horses up on speed have an edge later in the day.
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