Racing resumes on the Riccarton Park Polytrack for the third year this coming Thursday 2 May 2024.

This meeting is the start of a run of eleven racemeetings on the Polytrack from May through to September. Effectively there is a racemeeting on the synthetic surface every fortnight. There is also the one-off Polytrack meeting in December when the turf Course Proper undergoes renovation.

Results from the first two Polytrack seasons in 2022 and 2023 illustrate that horses can successfully mix racing on Polytrack and turf. A selection of notable performances include:

·         BUOYANT won on the Polytrack on Friday 3 June 2022. In five subsequent starts on the turf he won three including the Group 3 Lindauer Stewards Stakes and the Listed Property Brokers Hazlett Stakes.

·         CAMPIONESSA won on the Polytrack on 1 September 2022. She raced on to become a Group 1 winner of the Cambridge Stud Zabeel Classic and successfully compete in Australia.

·         Rangiora trained LADY TELENA was a Polytrack winner in July 2023, went on to win three on the turf including at the NZ Cup meeting, place at Group 3 and finish third in the Group1 Harcourts Group Thorndon Mile.

·         In June and July FRANKIE THE FOX won consecutive open ‘metric mile’ handicaps on the turf and the Polytrack the returned to the Polytrack in May 2023 for another open 1600 metres victory.

·         MISS TAKE won her first start on the Polytrack in August 2022. After running fourth in the New Zealand Bloodstock Canterbury Belle Stakes at her next start she was sold and has gone to win at Moonee Valley.

·         SIR ALBERT won his maiden on the Polytrack, went on win five more races including two open handicaps and a $65,000 Rating 75 race at the NZ Cup Meeting.

·         PROSERVE was a fine example of winning on both surfaces with two Polytrack wins alongside four turf wins.

·         DAZZLING MISS after four turf wins won on the Polytrack in December 2023 then won the Timaru Cup and record three placings in Group 3 races.

·         ELEGANT LADY followed a win at the December Polytrack meeting with a next up turf win and raced on to run second in the Listed Dunedin Gold Cup.

·         LUVNWAR won a September maiden on the Polytrack, and next start ran third in the Group 3 Barneswood Farm Stakes.

·         After two turf wins ADANNAYA won a May 2023 Polytrack race, went on to win three further turf races and place at Listed level.

·         Quality mare THIRD DECREE followed a June 2023 win on the Polytrack with four turf wins and a placing in the Listed Daphne Bannan Memorial Great Easter Stakes.

Also

·         The average field size over the two years has been 9.8, not too far behind the national average.

·         The national average field size was exceeded at eight of the 22 meetings.

·         The Polytrack has been kind to punters with favourites winning 29.1% of the races which is within the national average of 28-30%.

·         Riccarton Park trainer Andrew Carston has produced the most winners on the Polytrack with 28.

·         Kylie Williams with 17 holds the most wins amongst the jockeys.