New improvements on tracks

1. The Association of Hong Kong Raing Journalist Seminar 2002 ST/HV race track New improvements on tracks Presentation by Mr. John Ripley Miss Shirley Law

2. Background Hong Kong racing in the subtropics • Temperatures drop to 10 oC or below in Jan and Feb : • Summer grass goes dormant(15.6 oC), recovery from • damage is too slow for racing usage below about 22 oC • From May to Aug, daytime temperature exceed 25 oC • Winter grass declines and dies New improvements on tracks

3. Mean Temperature (long term monthly normal) New improvements on tracks

4. Optimal growth conditions for grasses New improvements on tracks

5. Optimal growth conditions for grasses (cont.) New improvements on tracks

6. Challenge for turf track maintenance • Not a single grass species can grow actively year round • under these climatic constraints. • temperature variation • rainfall • high humidity • low sunlight hours • air quality? (effects unknown) New improvements on tracks

7. Racing pattern • Racing pattern covers 9 months over seasons. Intensity • & frequency of wear on turf surface is serious, ranging from • 10% to 20% on the racing strips / 4 meters from the rail • Therefore, overseeding with winter grass is essential to • maintain recovery, stability, wear resistance & colour • from November onwards till approximately late May New improvements on tracks

8. Problems associated with track performance if overseeding is not done • Track turning brown when temperature is low • Recovery after racing becomes unacceptable • Horse will race on a very sandy track with little grass cover starting in Jan New improvements on tracks

9. The seeding process • The winter grass seeds are being sowed into the existing summer grass starting from mid October in both courses. This provides: • the best possible racing surface • good wear tolerance under tight racing fixture • protection for underlying dormant summer grass The comparison of winter performance of 2 grasses is as follows New improvements on tracks

10. The seeding process (cont.) • Turf Types Differences in winter • Summer grass • discoloured & whitish • dormant • no recovery from damage, • effecting stability • summer grass alone has less • cushioning due to little growth rate • low density • Winter grass • lushful green • active growth • rapid recovery from plant and seeds • to maintain surface stability • lushful growing winter grass (if not • excessive), provides good cushion • high density New improvements on tracks

11. Transition time and effects • From April onwards, winter grass starts declining because of temp. and humidity with the following effects on racetrack: • more kickback & a loose surface • significant deterioration of track performance and race time due to loss of shear strength • less than ideal drainage rate in bare area New improvements on tracks

12. Transition process • Turfgrass transition is a process largely shaped and controlled • by nature and the weather condition prevailing Smooth transition segmented transition broken transition New improvements on tracks

13. Causes of massive turf die in May 2002 • Heat built up - accompanied by sudden weather pattern changes ( humidity, rain, sun) • Soil and surface temperature both had increased from April onwards, which affected winter grass root system ( grasses energy reserve) • High ryegrass dominance in April 2002 • Low sunlight hours New improvements on tracks

14. Sunshine hours • The low sunshine hours than 2001 (1.89 hr/day, or 56% of last year value), which did not promote regeneration of our summer grass, which is very light dependent

15. Rainfall 3 times (276mm Vs 92.5 mm) more rainfall was recorded in 14 days before the winter grass decline in HV this year

16. Rye grass dominance In April, turf cover ratio in HV was: winter grass 86 % summer grass 4.5 % gap 9.5% The strong presence of winter grass suppressed the regeneration of summer grass. HV track had to be closed for a 3-week renovation spell to promote summer grass establishment when all winter grass went at once. New improvements on tracks

17. Any problem before? • For instance, in 1997, massive winter grass cover was lost in April in Happy Valley track due to Pythium disease attack and weather condition. The loss was much more extensive than this May. New improvements on tracks

18. The problem is likely continue • Every spring we will encounter similar problems during summer and winter grass change over. The problems of the transition largely depend on the weather condition which could favour or discourage. New improvements on tracks

19. Is there another system available • In NSW and South Africa , there are courses not overseeded • Raced under the cool season in their dormant & brown coloured • track Kikuyugrass. • Recovery & stability is not a concern as these are inherently • stable, soil or sand soil based racetrack with longer breaks • between meeting. Mate, no problem to ride in a brown track New improvements on tracks

20. The view of a brown coloured winter track New improvements on tracks

21. Is there another system available (cont.) • There are courses being sowed with very low rate of winter grass to facilitate summer grass regeneration but the track will look patchy (Rosehill) and their summer grass Kikuyu has better winter activity than our summer grass. Kikuyu had been trialed in Hong Kong in early 90’s and again in 1999. Under Hong Kong low light environment, it cannot form a dense turf sward. New improvements on tracks

22. The view of a patchy turf track New improvements on tracks

23. Is there another system available (cont.) • Japan over recent years tried different combination of winter grass (Tall Fescue) & summer grass (Zoysia) is used which are adapted to their climate Photos captured in Hanshin Racecourse, Japan

24. Is there another system available (cont.) • Singapore - no seeding requirement • - grass grows year round • Macau- overseeding and they have similar • weather constraints • - turfgrasses & weeds approach to • provide grass cover (accept • anything that grows) New improvements on tracks

25. Other sport turf transition Golf Courses Vs Race Tracks • Knowing the problem of a transition period, most golf courses avoid • overseeding their green and fairway in our region. New improvements on tracks

26. Ways to go forward Current management strategy • No control over this natural process. • Strike to facilitate the process in a direction, which is more • desirable for turf track maintenance. New improvements on tracks

27. More information is required • We and our overseas counterparts are still screaming for more research to better understand the dynamics of managing turfgrass transition in racecourses. • The experts we have contacted so far share the same perspective. New improvements on tracks

28. The proactive maintenance strategy introduced in the last 4 years include the followings • preventive fungicide to avoid massive turf die back • intensive plugging & turfing programme to improve turf • recovery. Over 250,000 plugs had been planted in HV alone for • March - May • close monitoring & treatment of soil & tissue nutrition levels to • provide optimal nutrition for plant growth. • aeration & grass thinning works in early spring to manage turf • competition and summer grass regeneration • judicious maintenance rolling on the track surface during • transitional period to improve stability

29. A black hole - expert knowledge on turf transition in the subtropics • “To resolve this on a consistent basis will require some additional study and research because of your unique need (long mowing height) for all Bermudagrass and Ryegrass for the racing season. • It is time to look at the newer transition Ryegrasses or perhaps other species of winter green grasses. ” • by Tim Bowyer, Ph. D. - world expert on Bermudagrass New improvements on tracks

30. A black hole (cont.) • “The different pictures painted by two indicators means further research is needed to establish the reliability of stolon density and Tifton shoot recovery as indicators of a successful transition.” • by Dr. Tony Field - expert on sand based turf track profile New improvements on tracks

31. Current system is reaching its limit • More racing is being scheduled and we are racing intensely into the months with hostile weather pattern. • Previous fixture had afforded more room for track spelling - Equitrack and sand racing at Happy Valley before redevelopment - Fewer turf races per day. The number of starters on turf has increased continuously over the years as illustrated in the usage analysis New improvements on tracks

32. Number of starters in the previous years (Happy Valley)

33. Number of starters in the previous years (Shatin)

34. Short term plan - coming season • Fine turning of racing fixture in recognition of turf track usage limitation • More mixed meeting with more AWT races during the transition period • Strategically located breaks for HV where proactive maintenance works can be done New improvements on tracks

35. Medium term improvements - ( 3 years, to be explored ) In addition to the current intensive maintenance program. We are planning to develop a new monitoring and maintenance techniques with experts to achieve the following objectives: - To establish a desirable ratio of winter to summer grass - Devise action plan to achieve the desirable ratio if ratio deviate from standard - To monitor the pacing of transition New improvements on tracks

36. Long term strategy: Grass Improvement Programs • initiate the grass improvement programmes commencing 1999 • using the traditional selection & genetic engineering approach • Objective of the grass improvement programmes • To develop a stronger summer grass • To improve natural regeneration during the transition period • To resume active growth earlier with better root development New improvements on tracks

37. Long term strategy: Grass Improvement Programs - efforts from professionals • professional parties involved or contacted. Dr. Prem Bhalla - The University of Melbourne, Aust. Dr. D. Loch - Redland Research Station, Queensland, Aust. Dr. Wayne Hana - Georgia Coastal Experimental Station, U.S.A. Dr. Ron Ducan - University of Georgia, Athens, U.S.A. Mr. Ian Chivers - Racing Solution, Aust. Ms. Ann E. Lay - Heritage seeds company, Aust. Mr. Murray Aitchion - Progressive Seeds company, Aust. New improvements on tracks

38. Long term strategy Traditional selection approach • Over 50 species have been trialed in Shatin with seeds and • planted imported from overseas or searched in racetracks & • sport fields around the region. New improvements on tracks

39. Long term strategy Traditional selection approach MORE TRIALS !! New improvements on tracks

40. Long term strategy Traditional selection approach • Seven turf candidates were • selected and planted in riverside. • With one Tifton 10 identified in • 2001 summer being marginally • better than the current summer • grass. However, Tifton 10 belongs • to the same family of the current • summer grass species. New improvements on tracks

41. Long term strategy Traditional selection approach 800 m 600 m 400 m 200 m Riverside track (not in scale)

42. Long term strategy Genetic Engineering Program • 3 species were selected for genetic modification. Culture system was successfully developed for 2 species - kikuyugrass & seashore paspalum New improvements on tracks

43. Genetic Engineering Program • 5000 modified plants were developed for each species, which were planted in Redland Research Station since Dec 2001. New improvements on tracks

44. Genetic Engineering Program • First batch on selected modified kikuyu arrived in Hong Kong on 17 July 2002 New improvements on tracks

45. Genetic Engineering Program • The selected modified kikuyugrass has transplanted in the trial pots on 01 August 2002 ~ END ~