Trots Return to Clifford Park
Toowoomba Harness Racing (THR) will make a return to Clifford Park after an eight year absence due to strong community interest and the rejuvenation of the trotting track in October.
The Darling Downs based club will hold a non-TAB event on Sunday, 27 November on the 800m granite base track located inside the Cushion Track, which THR secretary Anthony Collins hopes will draw a crowd upwards of 1000.
“We got 1500 people through the gates our first meeting back at the show grounds. I’d be happy with anything over 1000 at Clifford Park, which is very doable on a Sunday afternoon in Toowoomba,” Mr Collins said.
He said THR had been holding two meetings per year at the Toowoomba show grounds but were interested in branching out.
“Our licensees were suggesting it (Clifford Park) is a far superior track to anything else at our disposal in the region and we should look into it. We’re going from a 600m track to an 800m track and when it was in operation up until 2003, it was a TAB track that raced most Thursday afternoons and gave every other Queensland track a run for its money as far as TAB turnover was concerned. It’s the rejuvenation of the sport at Clifford Park.”
He first made contact with the Toowoomba Turf Club early in the year regarding a return of the trots, and the proposal was subsequently approved at a committee meeting in August.
However, before the November meeting could be given the go ahead, Racing Queensland Limited stewards had to deem the defunct track useable again.
“They basically said you’ve got to resurface it and add two viewing towers - race day infrastructure mainly,” Mr Collins said.
“Mick Sedl from Sedl Civil Contracting then had a look at the track in September and it was finished the week before Melbourne Cup.”
Work began by removing any grass off the track and saving any of the surface that could be reused.
Following this, the contractors moved the dirt into the centre of the track and laser leveled it back out to the edges to create a smooth surface for the track, which is now a granite base with a crusher dust cushion.
“The surface is the probably the best we’ve ever seen, definitely the fastest,” Mr Collins said.
The THR secretary said he is pleased with the Sunday timeslot, as it has made it “more accessible for the big stables, as we’re not clashing with Gold Coast on Friday,” and has already locked in big talent for the six race program.
“I’ve got Queensland’s leading trainer Grant Dixon sending horses up and Queensland’s leading junior reinsman Peter McMullen.”
Gates open at 11am and racing starts at 12.30pm, with the feature event of the day being the Harness Talk Christmas Gift for R3 to R4 class pacers over 1660m in the latter part of the program.
Mr Collins said you can have a punt with the bookmakers as the Toowoomba (trots) and Sunshine Coast (gallops) markets will be open, and it will be a fantastic day for the family.
“Bring your picnic blanket and enjoy a great meal from the restaurant. Bring the kids; they get in for free and there’s free snow cones and face painting for them as well.”
The plan is to host two non-TAB harness meetings per year at Clifford Park, with the next meeting scheduled for early in the New Year.
Story - Brandon Long
Photo - Trackside Photography
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