Club confident Percy Spencer Racecourse ready to go

Albany Racing Club is confident there will be no issues with the Percy Spencer Racecourse track surface when the first meeting of the 2016-17 season is held there tomorrow afternoon.

After the track was given the all-clear by Racing and Wagering WA stewards late last month, in a statement the club said horses had galloped on the course proper this week and predicted no further problems with the surface, which forced their opening two meets of the season to be transferred to Mt Barker.

“We have had glowing reports from our track curator,” the ARC said.

“We are overly impressed with how the new sections of turf have come along and it won’t be digging up.

“We look forward to racing on one of the best surfaces in WA again.” Tomorrow’s first meeting at Percy Spencer Racecourse will see a small six-race card and two barrier trials beforehand held on the course.

The six races will start at the late timeslot of 3.06pm and wrap up with race 6 at 5.37pm.

Meanwhile, Albany trainer Mark Nelson rates developing mare Senate Bianca a strong winning chance in tomorrow’s Smith Thornton Accountants Handicap (1230m).

The four-year-old shot home to win over 1300m at Mt Barker last month, downing Fulzip by half a length and Nelson predicted further improvement at her third run this campaign.

“Her fitness has come on in leaps and bounds,” he said.

“The only concern is dropping back to 1200m, I would like further.

“But we have kept enough freshness in her legs and she will be running home very strongly.”

The Blackfriars mare will tackle a field including recent maiden winners Singa Doll, Money Trainer and Chengdu, who ran 10th in the regional championship final at Ascot.

Meanwhile, in-form sprinter Potent Secret will contest Saturday’s listed $100,000 R.S. Crawford Stakes (1000m) at Ascot.

Jerry Noske takes the ride on the speedster who will jump from barrier 7 and carry 55kg having won his past two starts at Mt Barker comfortably.