Mt Barker track still not ready

Mt Barker Turf Club have lost their third scheduled meeting of the 2015-16 season, with Racing and Wagering WA stewards still not fully satisfied with the recovery of grass in the home straight upon inspection yesterday.

RWWA deputy chief steward Harold Taylor visited Mt Barker yesterday for a track inspection and despite the vast improvement in the condition it was deemed unsafe to race on for the upcoming meeting on Wednesday, December 30.

Taylor met with a MBTC representative for the inspection but an area around the 175m mark about 6m off the inside running rail is still causing some concern.

"I am very pleased with the progress, they have put some blocking in and that is going well," he said.

"The main area of concern was at the 175m and it hasn't quite recovered completely.

"The track is almost good to go but with their main day, the Grapes and Gallops meeting, coming up, it is best to make sure it has fully recovered to ensure the day goes ahead.

"We are a month out from the Mungrup Sprint and I am very confident the track will be in pristine condition by then."

MTBC's opening meeting of the season on November 15 was stripped from them after grass was cut and left on the track, causing the remaining grass to "rot".

That meeting was transferred to the Albany Racing Club's Percy Spencer Racecourse, and as a result of the slow re-growth, the MBTC meeting set down for December 4 was also switched to Albany.

A decision on if the December 30 meeting will be switched to Albany is yet to be made.