Upgrades complete at Werribee ready for first European arrivals

This spring’s first shipment of European horses will be met at the Werribee quarantine centre with a deeper sand fibre track and a new veterinary trot-up area as part of Racing Victoria’s enhanced safety measures for this year.

Three leading chances in Melbourne’s spring carnival majors â€" Gold Trip, State Of Rest (Cox Plate) and Spanish Mission (Caulfield and Melbourne Cup) â€" will land at Tullamarine and then travel to Werribee on Saturday afternoon, as well as a horse called Handsome, who will act as Gold Trip’s travelling pony for Australian Bloodstock.

The Werribee quarantine centre.Credit:Racing Photos

They will arrive at the new-look Werribee quarantine facility, which was subject to Racing Victoria’s substantial review at the end of last spring following the death of Anthony Van Dyck in last year’s Melbourne Cup.

Racing Victoria chose to retain Werribee as its quarantine centre, despite the view of some racing participants that the contours and conditions at the track have played a role in Europeans breaking down since 2013. The review group cited a lack of evidence to support the notion Werribee was a contributing factor.

Instead, recommendations were made to increase the depth of the sand fibre track and upgrade the crossing at the turf track, and cap the number of horses arriving at Werribee to 24. That cap will prove insignificant, with Racing Victoria’s other more stringent vetting requirements and the impact of COVID-19 denting the number of international nominations for this year’s majors.

Three spring carnival contenders arrive on Saturday and then a second shipment, which will include last year’s Melbourne Cup winner Twilight Payment, is scheduled to arrive on October 9.

Adam Wilkinson, chief executive at the Werribee Racing Club, said the club was well-prepared for the spring.

“The depth of the sand fibre track was increased, and we had some work done on our crossing. That work has all been completed,” he said.

“[The sand fibre track has] been worked on. Patrick Payne has worked horses on it over the past couple of weeks and has been very complimentary of the work that’s taken place. The club’s really pleased with the outcome of that, although the club throughout this whole process has never had any concerns with the performance of the sand fibre track either.

“The other significant improvement that’s taken place has been in relation to the veterinary trot-up areas. The ability for vets to analyse horses has been significantly enhanced this time around which is a real positive for the club and all the participants as well.

Irish thoroughbred Twilight Payment wins the 2020 Melbourne Cup.Credit:Getty

“The length of the trot-up areas have been increased. There’s also been a new trot-up area constructed this year ... which is actually in the public car park. That area’s closed during quarantine because that’s where horses enter the track, but in there, there has been a redeveloped trot-up area for Racing Victoria to utilise as well.”

The other recommendation approved regarding Werribee was that imported international horses on one-way tickets to Melbourne, while in training, will be required to remain at Werribee until at least the conclusion of Melbourne Cup week before being permitted to transfer to different training facilities.

Wilkinson said he was hopeful that Werribee would again house a major winner this spring, as it did with Twilight Payment and Sir Dragonet last year.

“Three high-quality horses, all with big chances in big races,” Wilkinson said of the trio arriving on Saturday.

“The record out of Werribee overall is significant, and we’re really hopeful that in those three horses there’s a group 1 in them at some stage during the spring carnival.

“We’re really looking forward to another year of good success out of Werribee from a race perspective.”

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