THE SUNSHINE COAST NEWSPAPER COLUMN - TWO PRIZE EXAMPLES OF THE BENEFITS OF A PLASTIC RUNNING RAIL

By Graham Potter | Sunday, September 8, 2013

Graham Potter writes a weekly column for the Sunshine Coast daily. Due to demand from those having trouble accessing the paper these columns are now also published on HRO courtesy of the Sunshine Coast daily

The great strides racing has made in improving safety was aptly illustrated in two separate incidents at the Ipswich meeting last week.

The most dramatic moment came when Navy Chic was unceremoniously shunted into the running rail during the running of the fifth race.

It was dramatic, heart in your mouth stuff as the rail bent and the uprights gave way as it absorbed the weight of the horse. As pieces of rail few off the horse scrambled for its footing but, most importantly, Navy Chic stayed upright.

The chance of victory might have been lost but the horse was able to complete the course and return safely to the unsaddling enclosure.

Two races later spectators at the track were given a second demonstration of just how far safety has come since the old days of timber rails.

When Nuits St Georges planted its feet in stubborn fashion soon after leaving the enclosure, instead of moving down to the start, you knew Travis Wolfgram had a battle on his hands.

When the rider tried to urge his mount to do the right thing, Nuits St Georges predictably reared up in an attempt to impose his will on the young rider.

Nothing new there … except the horse’s sideways movement immediately before rearing took its hindquarters under the running rail.

In the old days that would have been a recipe for disaster but now, with the plastic rail in place, when Nuits St Georges reared he didn’t meet an immovable object. Rather his body strength simply pulled the rail out of its moorings, lifting it high above his back.

It was still a dramatic enough sight, but it translated into an otherwise relatively harmless exercise.

In a matter a minutes Nuits St Georges was remounted. The horse thought better of continuing the argument and was soon on his way to the start.

Twice in the space of ninety minutes the plastic running rail had proved to be a godsend for horse and rider and a credit to the advance in safety levels that are currently in play.

Bill Shuck, racecourse manager of the Brisbane Racing Club, has pretty much seen it all when it comes to safety improvement.

“We’ve gone from timber running rails … to aluminium … and now to plastic. The plastic are great. They give a bit of relief as we saw at Ipswich,” said Shuck

“Technology and research have helped move that progress along and it’s just gone so far now.

“In other areas as well … I mean who would have thought twenty years ago that horses would be parading and walking out onto the track on a rubber walkway as they do in Brisbane.

“So safety comes in different guises.

“I think one of the best improvements we made was lifting the height of the running rail several years ago.

“With that move the horses respect the rail a lot better and they are not as inclined to take it on. Generally they now run about half a horse off the rail to give themselves a bit of room.”

“Safety has always been paramount. Always will be.”

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