By Alex Nolan
Brisbane Greyhound Racing Club CEO Luke Gatehouse admits he’s been doing a little “happy dance” ahead of the highly anticipated return to racing at Albion Park on Wednesday.
The famous ‘Creek’ track has been out of action for the best part of ten weeks as Gatehouse and his team of dedicated staff worked feverishly to remediate the extensive damage caused by February’s major flood event.
Gatehouse said the damage caused by the most recent flood was “100 times” greater than that experienced during the 2011 floods.
“That was nothing compared to this,” Gatehouse said.
“The whole place was destroyed.
“But, apart from the electrics, we’re pretty close to being back to normal.
“The underground cabling is our issue.
"We’re running off six generators to the infield.”
The generators and the newly laid track were put to the test at trials sessions on the weekend with pleasing reports from both officials and trainers.
It signalled a green light to return to racing on Wednesday, where a nine-race card will get under way with a maiden event over 395 metres at 3:37pm.
Gatehouse said the return wouldn’t have been possible without the dedication and can-do attitude of his staff at the club.
“The staff have been amazing because they’ve been asked to do things well outside their job descriptions,” Gatehouse said.
“Not once have they complained, they’ve got on with it and got stuck in, things like shovelling, painting, mulching, you name it, they’ve done it.
“My hats off to them and also the staff at Ipswich for carrying the can.
“They’ve had a number of staff from here and Capalaba out there assisting but they’ve carried a massive load.”
Ipswich has raced a staggering 77 times since the start of the year, with racing conducted seven days per week while both Albion Park and Capalaba were out of action.
But, things will return to some form of normality when racing returns to the ‘Creek’, and the club’s premier trainer Cyndie Elson has wasted no time getting her team back to their preferred track.
Elson has a total of 14 greyhounds set to contest the nine-race card, including four in the eighth race, a Best 8 over 395 metres.
The six greyhound field is rounded out by a runner from the kennels of Travis Elson in Hope’s King and the Doug Gladman-trained Tyanna Belle.
“Some trainers will wait to see how the track plays before they nominate which is fine. Those that have trialled here have been positive about the surface,” he said.
“The whole Elson family trialled on Sunday and they’ve supported the Wednesday and Thursday meetings.”
