Borrowdale Park’s maintenance team has had plenty to do during this extended racing break. They haven’t been relaxing while watching the grass grow.

You have all heard about the potato crop, and another 1.2 hectares are expected to be ready for reaping in six weeks’ time. To ensure there is sufficient water for this exercise a new borehole has been drilled and the first water was found at 21 metres, which is encouraging.

To accommodate further crops graders were needed to remove boulders from the infield – and it didn’t end there. The trotting ring had to be relocated and this will now be in front of the grandstand.

“This has been a huge job”, Gary de Jong said, “as it involved plotting the size, and bringing in graders. Then applying quarry dust, followed by sand. The original trotting ring poles must also be relocated.”

It has been a race against the clock to ensure that the trainers are only inconvenienced for a few days. All going well the new ring should be up and running early this week.

Keep up the good work, maintenance crew!