Racing: High fives for showpiece of training

Richard Collett has a ready explanation for all but the most discreet of worry lines disappearing from his face.

Its all about the new-look training facilities that were officially unveiled yesterday at Collett's Pukekohe Park base, the end result of a joint venture between the Counties and Auckland Racing Clubs.

Centrepiece of the $2.2 million spend-up is a 15 metre-wide all-weather floodlit training track laid inside the course proper and measuring 1750 metres in circumference.

Collett was one of many satisfied faces present at yesterdays official opening overseen by NZ Racing Board chairman Warren Larsen and NZTR chairman Guy Sargent.

"From a trainer's perspective this new track is just brilliant," says Collett, who is chairman of the CRC tracks subcommittee as well as being a member of the steering committee in charge of recent works.

"I decided to get on the club committee a couple of years ago mainly through frustration at the tracks we were having to work on.

"When the proposal was put in front of us we did our homework, which included going to Australia and me even riding on various types of synthetic and all-weather tracks at places like Mornington, Cranbourne and Dubbo.

"Now we've got this track I don't have to lie awake at night listening to the rain on the roof and wondering where I'm going to gallop my horses in the morning.

"Believe me, it's a load off my mind."

The new surface received an unequivocal thumbs-up last weekend when the Richard Yuill-trained Echo Maid scored an upset win in the Northland Breeders Stakes at Ruakaka.

The 2-year-old filly's training for the $50,000 feature had taken place on the all-weather track following heavy rain throughout the week. The manner in which she skirted the capacity field and kept finding in the home straight left no doubts that her preparation had not been compromised.

Yuill is the most notable of trainers who have made the move from the soon-to-close Takanini centre to train at Pukekohe.

Proceeds from the sale of Takanini funded the Pukekohe development.

His mentor and former partner Colin Jillings was one of the observers on track for yesterday's unveiling.

"I think it's very good," commented the now retired trainer who was one of the most vociferous supporters of the subsequently canned ARC proposal for a training complex at Prices Rd, Puhinui.

"They've got what you would have to say is an ideal set-up and Richard is going to do well there."