$6.2 million has been spent revamping the Ascot track to ensure that Ascot’s last Perth Cup debacle will never happen again. Heavier than normal rainfall last winter and spring led to a large section of the Ascot track becoming waterlogged, not fully recovering and throwing the Ascot summer season into turmoil.

The revamp started with the entire track being torn up. A large amount of junk was removed from under the track and the sudden rise at the end of the straight is now gone, replaced by a gentle incline over its length. An old clay wall thought responsible for the water-logging is gone and Perth racing purchased its own turf farm and grew its own kikuyu which now forms the surface foundation for the entire track.

There is drainage every 9M, five large pumps to remove excess water from the lake (inside the track) when it flows from these drains and a 5 degree camber on the curves to enhance speed around the bends. At all distances Ascot is now capable of taking at least two more runners in the field. Ascot is now the second widest track in Oz! Well done to all those involved !