Always rather do these Wrap up’s after a good day, and it’s been a fantastic fortnight after a rubbish month. A couple of things are the key to the turn around, good weather (surface) and them racing correctly at EF.
Let’s start on the track. Many people think I just hate EF. Yes the last few years have been impossible with it changing but during that time I don’t think anyone has had a clue. Nobody knew how it would race and i’m certain the jocks had no idea how to ride it (still might not). When you’re doing form + speedmaps and then they count for nothing raceday, it’s ends up a guessing game. You could be 4 wide some days and win. Shit, somedays it was the best spot to be. Others days you couldn’t make ground, but seemed to be impossible to know what each day would bring.
Many days they’d fan at the 550m and be 10 wide on the corner, that’s not racing. The last two weeks they have ridden it like a proper track and it’s been fantastic. Racing a bit tighter and speedmaps etc actually count.
Just to show how wrong they still get it. They all went to the middle of the track in Race 1! In Race 2, the winner was forced to the fence and won. KIKU and VINCO also got easy runs up the fence when others stayed off it and they both won later in the day.
All along I was confused and mentioned a few times I couldn’t understand why Eagle Farm surface wasn’t just copied off Doomben, but with upgraded drainage. I’ve since heard Gollan has said similar things. Now the Kikuyu grass is taking over the surface, maybe that is one of the real keys to it being a better track. The last couple of weeks have been the best it’s raced for sure. Might help with the southern jocks here too I guess.
I’d just love them to continue riding like its the Flemington of the north, be patient, ride tighter and i’m sure it just becomes a better track all the time.
