RIVERSIDE Racecourse "looks a million dollars" as the Gunnedah Jockey Club prepares for a seven-race TAB program on Monday.
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Local trainers Sally Torrens and Gavin Groth know how lucky they are to have such a good track in such tough drought conditions.
Where a lot of tracks are affected by lack of water Riverside has enough water and irrigation to maintain a good surface.
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"The track does look a million dollars," Torrens said today. "It looks super. The club have done a great job and there wouldn't be too many tracks across the state that look and race any better."
Club president Kevin Edmonds agrees. "We are lucky to have enough water and a new watering system," Edmonds said.
"Tom Torrens [a longtime club official and racehorse owner' has taken charge [of the track] and has it looking good."
Torrens has a couple of runners on Monday but doesn't think her pair are going well enough to warrant being tagged good chances.
Groth has three runners - two of them in the one race, and he believes all three have a good chance of winning on their home track. Malzoom and Danspur will run in the $22,000 Happy New Year Benchmark 58 Handicap (1300m) while Davor will run in the $22,000 Cool Blue Ice Benchmark 58 Handicap (2050m).
"Davor has his foot on the till," Groth said of the seven-year-old gelding son of Bernardini. He has won five of his 56 starts but is yet to win on his home track in five goes.
Qin Yong, who will ride Davor, will claim 2kg off his 56.5kg.
Danspur goes up 2kg, though, Groth said of the six-year-old son of Casino Prince.
"He [Danspur] loves it at home," he said. The gelding as won three times in seven starts at Riverside. "I give him a real good chance [of winning on Monday].
"Malzoom is going well, too, and he did win out here on the Christmas Hams meeting."
Like many trainers Groth doesn't like sending two of his stable around in the same race but he said "it is a good race for both of them".
"Should be a good day," he added. "[It's] supposed to be 37 degrees so it shouldn't be too hot."
RacingNSW has already abandoned the Gilgandra Cup meeting because of the heat but Gunnedah should be manageable.
Groth, who will have a couple of runners at Mudgee on Tuesday, was delighted to hear there is a cooler change forecast for Mudgee.
