MBTC president calls for urgent action

Mt Barker Turf Club president Stephen Carter says the ageing infrastructure at the venue must be upgraded to avoid the loss of further race meetings at the small provincial track. The statement comes as the MTBC season of woes continue, with Friday’s scheduled seven-race card transferred to Albany after another troublesome water leak in the reticulation system broke last week. Friday’s leak resulted in a waterlogged 10m section at the 1150m mark on the back straight, found on Saturday morning, and the decision was made on Tuesday to switch the meeting to Albany. The club made the decision in consultation with stewards, with rain forecast this week also a factor in the likelihood the track wouldn’t dry out in time. Last Friday, Racing and Waging WA deputy chief steward Harold Taylor inspected the track and passed it as safe to return to racing after the January issues. It comes after the MBTC lost its biggest meeting on the calendar, the Mungrup Stud Sprint and, before that, had half its January 2 card abandoned. Track problems and in particular water leakages, have plagued the Mt Barker track in recent seasons. Carter said the reticulation was in desperate need of an upgrade. “The leak was from our regular watering on Friday night,” Carter said. “It caused excess watering of roughly a 10m section. “The (reticulation problems) did us in again. “We can’t take a trick right now. “The other 90 per cent of the track is in beautiful condition but it just happened at the wrong time. “This ageing infrastructure is a real problem and we have plans in place to do renovations and push for funding to make it happen.” Carter said had this week’s forecast been more favourable, the club would have been able to dry the problem section out but they could not risk leaving it until Wednesday and Thursday and made the early call to help industry participants. There are some minor distance alterations in the switch to Percy Spencer Racecourse for tomorrow’s card that begins at 2.12pm. The last race is the only field with double-figure runners entered. MBTC holds only six of the 20 Great Southern meetings each season and its final meet is set down for March 15, featuring the $35,000 Mt Barker Cup.