Lingfield Park 1989 Equitrack

Southwell 1989 Fibresand

Why Artificial?

To maintain betting revenues in the winter months

To continue racing in adverse weather

Introduced in December 2003

First floodlit track in Great Britain

Saturday night racing attracted healthy local following

Lingfield Park 2001

Polytrack 175mm

65mm thickness of 20mm Open graded base course macadam (special mix for MCE)

300mm of hard limestone or granite 40mm to dust

150mm perforated plastic pipe in hard lime stone or granite 40mm

track width

300mm

300mm

300mm

Ground level

300mm

Soil Shoulder

600mm

Not shown 100m spaced lateral drains to infield v-ditch

Not to scale

Compacted 150mm of 40mm clean hard limestone or granite (no dust)

Ground level

Lingfield Park – Cross Section

Lingfield Park new track

Martin Dwyer “It’s a perfect riding surface, with lots of bounce, it’s like a carpet!”

Southwell Fibresand

Substantial Kick Back

No kickback at Lingfield Park

Since 2001

Improved surface

Improved prize money

Group 3 Winter Derby £100,000

Better Horses

96

98

100

102

104

106

108

110

112

114

1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007

Year

Med

ian

Han

dic

ap

Median Ratings

Median Ratings

Since 2004

Wolverhampton 2004 Polytrack

Kempton Park 2006 Polytrack

Dundalk 2007 Polytrack

Great Leighs 2008 Polytrack

Flat Fixtures

0200400600800

1000

1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008

Year

Num

ber o

f m

eetin

gs

Turf

AWT

TOTAL

0

5

10

15

20

25

1995

1996

1997

1998

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

Group 3

Listed

What Next ?

More races?

Requirements of the horse population

Requirements of the Levy

Turf vs. Artificial Surface

Turf – Traditional Surface

Turf/Artificial – Low Injury Rates

Artificial – Consistent Going

Artificial – Frequency of Racing

Lingfield Park in the Snow

The Future

Artificial Surface or Arc de Triomphe for Duke of Marmalade ?

Group 1 Races on Artificial Surfaces

Increased International Competition

Thank you