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Trainer praises Bundaberg track after upgrade

25 September 2018

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By Alex Nolan

Trainer Dallas Beckett has praised the new Bundaberg Greyhound track following the first meeting held on Saturday since Racing Queensland completed a major renovation to the course.

Following stakeholder feedback, RQ removed the existing track and laid new turf to provide a safer and more competitive racing surface for greyhounds.

Rockhampton-based Beckett, a regular visitor to the Bundaberg circuit, said the new track was in stark contrast to the previous surface.

“I thought it raced great,” he said.

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“I think the old track was tired and there were a couple of sections that needed resurfacing.

“I made a point of walking out onto the track before the first race. I think the track is a lot firmer now and grass has knitted well.”

The project to lay the new turf was completed in August, before Racing Queensland infrastructure applied a top-dressing to help the turf bind and ensure the most even surface possible before racing returned.

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“They are still kicking up some sand due to the top-dressing but they will end up running some fast times there,” Beckett said.

Beckett trained two winners at the meeting on Saturday including his talented two-year-old bitch Trip Dancer, who he has earmarked as a potential Rockhampton Cup hopeful.

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“I’ve had her since she was 14 months old and she was the worst pick in the litter (Fabregas x Light Fantastic). Mind you, there’s not a lot between them … she’s flying at the moment,” he said.

All six of the litter to race are multiple winners, including the Jason Fletcher-trained Fantastic Hope, which put a 5.75L gap on her rivals in a Grade 5 over 520m (30.09sec) at Dapto last Thursday.

“Trip Dancer put a space on them down at Bundy (over 460m) on the weekend and I think the further she goes the better she’ll go,” Beckett said.