TURF MANAGEMENT
The Going is Good at Plumpton Racecourse with AMS Contracting
successful drainage project
A in 2021 by AMS Contracting has helped keep the going good at Plumpton Racecourse , as they keep their track prepared for extreme conditions .
Racing between September and May often means contending with the worst of the Sussex weather . In November 2022 , the course recorded rainfall of just over 400mm , proving the importance of drainage projects Plumpton has carried out over the last 20 years .
The narrow six-hectare track is built on clay soil , which adds to the challenge , but with the 945 sqm of new primary and secondary drainage over three areas , the track is performing well for Head Groundsman and Clerk of the Course Marcus Waters .
“ The areas are performing really well now ,” Marcus said . “ Previously some of the areas were getting very wet after little rainfall whereas now we don ’ t have to worry about them .
The climate has changed somewhat , and we ’ re getting more extremes of weather now . So , being able to handle large amounts of water in a short space of time is getting increasingly important .
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“ They got tested this year when we had just over 400mm of rain in November , the most in our 25 years of recording rainfall . I think AMS did a brilliant job and were very thorough . Nothing was left to chance , everything was thoroughly checked to make sure the outfalls were working , and it made for a very successful project .
“ Because we race through the winter and have quite a few fixtures throughout December , January and February , we are very weather focused . We ’ ve done quite a lot of drainage through the last 20 years , and that ’ s been finding the wet areas and draining them the best we can to keep us racing .
“ If we ’ re waterlogged , we can ’ t race . As drainage goes , it ’ s to keep the show on the road through the winter . We could take a little bit of water , but you want to be able to take larger amounts . The climate has changed somewhat , and we ’ re getting more extremes of weather now . So , being able to handle large amounts of water in a short space of time is getting increasingly important .
“ If we lose a meeting , then it ’ s cancelled . We are unable to reschedule any meetings we lose . Racing is our main event , and because we only race 17 times a year , every fixture we have is really important .”
Keeping the track in good condition during the winter months is the main aim for Marcus . During that time , he and his team of four monitor the track for any problem areas and earmark them for drainage in the summer .
12 GroundskeepingJournal . co . uk | March / April 2023