Thursday, February 5, 2004
PLANNING GO-AHEAD FOR NEWMARKET'S ALL-WEATHER TRACK
Planning consent for Newmarket's proposed all-weather track was granted by Forest Heath District Council last night (Wednesday).
"The response from the Council was extremely positive at last night's meeting and we now have the green light to move on to the next stage," commented Newmarket's Clerk of the Course, Michael Prosser.
"A number of expected conditions were attached, mainly relating to the fact that Newmarket Heath is a Site of Special Scientific Interest. Meeting these conditions will not cause us any problems.
"Next up is winning approval from the Jockey Club for our track design which we could only submit to them once we had planning permission. If the response to that is positive, the final crucial hurdle will be to get an allocation of fixtures for 2005 from the British Horseracing Board. The fixture allocation process starts in April, so with planning permission now achieved we are well ahead of schedule."
If the fixtures are allocated, the building of the new track, which will also include the construction of a new combined Members' Enclosure entrance and racecourse office block at the Rowley Mile course, would start in early June. The £6 million scheme would be completed in time for racing to start in January 2005. As many as three fixtures a week could be staged over the winter months each year, giving Newmarket all year-round racing which would be a significant boost for local racing stables in particular. Trainers would also be able to use the new track for exercising horses.
The course design is based on a 1m 2f straight track, with a Polytrack surface currently the preferred option, which would run up the far side of the existing Rowley Mile turf course. Spectator viewing would be accommodated within the existing Rowley Mile stands.
Newmarket's Managing Director, Lisa Hancock, commented: "Racecourse Holdings Trust, our parent company, has been looking for some time to include an all-weather track in its portfolio of 13 courses. All-weather racing is a huge growth area which is predominantly betting-driven.
"Unlike our turf racing, our all-weather races will be geared around lower class horses and we would not expect large crowds. Our forecasts are based on 500-1,000 spectators. However, from a betting point of view, it will give punters across the country the chance to bet regularly on British racing from Newmarket over the winter and I think that will prove very popular indeed."
MENHOUBAH TO TAKE THE 1,000 GUINEAS
Clive Brittain's Menhoubah looks the winner of the UAE 1,000 Guineas over 1,600 metres on Saturday evening at Nad Al Sheba - the third meeting of the Dubai International Racing Carnival.
Group One form is hard to fault and the only horse that can claim that here is Menhoubah, who reappears after her fourth to Red Bloom in the Fillies Mile (Gr.I) at Ascot in September.
The daughter of Dixieland Band, who will be partnered by Eddie Ahern, was inconvenienced at a vital stage in that race and there is no doubt she should have run a place. She is a classy filly in very well at the set weights here and while facing dirt for the first time, the small field will suit.
Godolphin has won this event on each occasion it has been run and whether Catstar, the mount of Frankie Dettori, is as good as previous winners like Muwakleh and Mezzo Soprano remains to be seen however she has her first start since a second to the high class Attraction at Royal Ascot. There is no doubt she will measure up to Group One company in England later in the year however the 1,600 metres is a query first-up.
The Saudi Arabian runner Ibda Ae is an interesting runner, arriving in the UAE in the last few days specifically for this event and she will have the services of the champion Mick Kinane.
Tamarillo, trained by Mazin Al Kurdi, won her Maiden at Nottingham in good style and wasn't far away in Group II company on her latest appearance and must be considered.
South African star Ipi Tombe was introduced to UAE racegoers in the Al Fahidi Fort (Gr.III) over 1,600 metres a year ago and then went on to win the Dubai Duty Free and there are many believing that there could be a repeat in 2004 with the Mike de Kock-trained Surveyor, the mount of Weichong Marwing.
On weights and measures, Surveyor isn't well treated here having to carry penalties for his Group One successes in South Africa however he is obviously a class horses and he can overcome the disadvantage.
Mark Johnston's Gateman produced a good effort in Conditions class on the opening night of the Carnival but couldn't match the sprint of Crimson Palace, however he will strip a much fitter racehorse here and the drop back to the 1,600m will suit.
The two Irish contenders, D'Anjou, trained by John Oxx and the Dermot Weld-trained One More Round, have had some great battles carrying big weights in handicaps in Ireland and are capable of stepping up to the Group III company here, while Northern Rock returns to the turf for the first time since winning at Saratoga in August. His first-up effort last week was good and he is a horse still on the up. Erwan Charpy's Bowman, showed good form as a three-year-old but his four-year-old season was restricted to just the two runs.
If the Johnston-trained, West Country, the mount of Stanley Chin, can cope with the dirt surface he appears well placed here in the second race, a 1,500 metre Maiden. He missed a run last week when the three-year-old Maiden had to be dropped from the meeting but now opened to four-year-olds, he only has to carry 54kg and the four-year-olds don't appear an overly strong lot.
West Country has been placed in all three starts he has had, the latest in late October and he should give Johnston his first winner of the Carnival. Literator, formerly with Godolphin and now with Satish Seemar, produced a nice effort first-up behind Ides in similar company and will no doubt be fitter, while Dettori is an interesting booking for the debutante Godalming, trained by Charpy.
Brian Wiid's Magic Master's form is hard to fault, five wins from his only five starts and he has come through his grades nicely. He is up in the weight again here but if he is to continue on towards the Dubai Golden Shaheen on Dubai World Cup night he needs to win this, the third race of the meeting, a 1,000 metre handicap.
Royal Beacon is a newcomer to the yard of Christian Wroe but showed impressive form in strong handicaps in England and while the 1,000m may be short of his best he will be fresh. Raging Creek, trained by Allan Smith, has found peak form winning his last three starts and handles the
surface.
Elegance Champion from Macau will appreciate the drop back to 1,000m, he was prominent for a long way last week before tiring in the run to the line while one to keep an eye on is Lord Nelson, trained by Malcolm Thwaites and the mount of Mark du Plessis, who won a fairly strong race in Singapore on the dirt and is on the improve.
The final race the 2,000 metre handicap on the turf, is an interesting event to finish on with a number of these bound to be improved by their first-up efforts last week, but whether they can reverse the result with the de Kock-trained Prince of War remains to be seen. He was impressive in his win and only rises a kilogram for that.
Jeremy Noseda's Courageous Duke raced up to win at the top of the straight but tired in the run to the line and with that run and the drop in weights, he may be the value in the race. He meets Prince of War three kilograms better for that run. Top weight Mkuzi, trained by John Oxx, showed consistent form in Ireland last season, carrying big weights in handicaps and Listed company and has to be considered while Aravis is bound to have improved with his first-up effort last week.
Big Easy, the mount of Ted Durcan, is ideally suited by these Condition events at Nad Al Sheba and should win the opening event over 1,400 metres. The nearest to him in the ratings is Bengalant, five pounds inferior, however there is a doubt about him handling the dirt.
For old articles (from 1st March 2000) go to the Newslink
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