TURF MANAGEMENT
Progressive TDR-22 / 6 tri-deck presents significant time and fuel savings for Newmarket Racecourse
icking the boxes
T for build quality and ease of use is a Progressive TDR- 22 / 6 tri-deck for the team at Newmarket Racecourse . Not only that , the new delivery by Vanmac in June 2024 complements a pair of Progressive TDR-15 ’ s and - at 50 % wider - has contributed to significant savings in both labour and fuel-usage according to Estates Manager Alan Hatherley .
An iconic stop on the equine circuit , Newmarket Racecourse comprises of two courses – The July Course and Rowley Mile – which , between them , play host to 37 race meets between April and the end of October . Alan has been working on the site for 20 years , and for the last 12 of those , has been using solutions from Progressive for mowing the 28-hectares of racing surface .
“ We ’ ve always been really impressed with the build quality and the aftersales service we get with Progressive , but with managing challenges with the weather and ever-tightening mowing windows , the time was right to add something wider ” explains Alan , who heads-up a team of nine grounds staff . “ We went straight to Vanmac and spoke with Jeremy Vincent about the TDR-22 / 6 tri-deck .”
The TDR-22 / 6 tri-deck roller finishing mower from Progressive combines productivity with performance – its 22 foot ( 6.7m ) combined width , and front and rear rollers , and unique 6 blade rotors per deck deliver a precise and balanced cut , outstanding presentation and unbeatable contour following ability . “ This , like our previous mowers , is well-built , not over-engineered and easy to maintain which , in practical terms , gives us a mower that ’ s userfriendly to operate and generally means fewer things to go wrong !”
Alan continues , “ As soon as the TDR-22 / 6 tri-deck arrived at the end of June we were out with it straight away , to make the most of the time saving element . Where it used to take us nine hours to mow all areas of the two tracks , we can now complete the job in six . That doesn ’ t just reduce labour and give us a better chance to mow ahead of forecasted rainfall , it presents a significant reduction in fuel usage which is a big step towards reducing our environmental footprint .”
“ We don ’ t cut when it ’ s wet but will mow as and when required throughout the year so , a mild winter for example , will see us continuing to mow in December . With the TDR-22 / 6 tri-deck , we know we can confidently get the job done quickly and effectively , no matter the ground conditions .”
www . vanmac . co . uk
GroundskeepingJournal . co . uk | November / December 2024 9