{"id":1277,"date":"2022-02-28T11:54:53","date_gmt":"2022-02-28T11:54:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.top10bettingsites.co.uk\/?page_id=1277"},"modified":"2022-03-01T14:38:26","modified_gmt":"2022-03-01T14:38:26","slug":"all-weather-racing-track-surfaces-courses-races","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.rulesofsport.com\/betting\/horse-racing\/all-weather-racing-track-surfaces-courses-races\/","title":{"rendered":"All Weather Racing Track Surfaces, Courses & Races"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"HorseAs time has proven, horses are hardy animals that are only too happy to race one another in a wide range of conditions \u2013 they don\u2019t care all that much about the rain and mud that is common in the British summer<\/del> spring<\/del>\u2026 well, all seasons really!<\/p>\n

Even so, horse racing on turf isn\u2019t always possible and grass certainly isn\u2019t infallible to rain, snow and frost \u2013 that\u2019s just one of the reasons why all-weather racing was developed.<\/p>\n

There are six prominent all-weather tracks in the UK, and these are designed to get racing on in all kinds of weather \u2013 well, that\u2019s the idea at least. The reality is somewhat different as we will learn\u2026<\/p>\n

Are All-Weather Racetracks Really All Weather?<\/h2>\n

\"AWChampionships<\/p>\n

According to their name, you might think that all-weather racetracks are impervious to anything that the elements can throw at them.<\/p>\n

But the reality is that these man-made surfaces can also become waterlogged, frozen or even crack in extreme heat \u2013 meaning that all-weather race meetings can also be abandoned; although, admittedly, this happens less frequently than on turf tracks.<\/p>\n

All-weather surfaces are designed to be like sponges, soaking up moisture. But as we know, sponges can only suck up so much water before they become full \u2013 that\u2019s why all-weather racetracks can flood too.<\/p>\n

What are All-Weather Racecourses Made From?<\/h2>\n
\"Fibresand
From Fibresand International<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

There are, at the time of writing, three different types of all-weather surface at large in UK racing.<\/p>\n

Polytrack<\/strong> is the most commonly used. Also deployed at international courses like Chantilly in France and Arlington Park in the United States, polytrack uses rubber and carpet fibres, mixes them with silica and gives them a coat of a wax solution to create what is regarded as one of the safest artificial surfaces in racing.<\/p>\n

Tapeta<\/strong> is a material that is commonly used at US racetracks, although it has been embraced by European venues too. Created by former Cheltenham Gold Cup winning trainer Michael Dickinson, tapeta utilises a mix of fibre, rubber and sand to create a layer which is then laid on top of asphalt foundations.<\/p>\n

Fibresand<\/strong> is, as the name suggests, a surface that creates a heavy type of all-weather track \u2013 races tend to be slower on this surface. It is constructed from sand and polypropene, and it is yet to achieve the popularity of tapeta and polytrack.<\/p>\n

What Surfaces Do All-Weather Racetracks Have?<\/h2>\n

As you may know, there are six different all-weather horse racing venues on UK soil \u2013 at the time of writing, at least.<\/p>\n

There is no \u2018standard\u2019 as to which type of all-weather track they should use, which perhaps explains why all three artificial surfaces have been deployed:<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Venue<\/th>\nSurface<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
Chelmsford<\/td>\nPolytrack<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Kempton<\/td>\nPolytrack<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Linfield<\/td>\nPolytrack<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Newcastle<\/td>\nTapeta<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Southwell<\/td>\nFibresand<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Wolverhampton<\/td>\nTapeta<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

Are There Jumps Races On All-Weather Tracks?<\/h2>\n

Once upon a time, both \u2018codes\u2019 of UK horse racing \u2013 National Hunt and Flat \u2013 were contested on all-weather tracks.<\/p>\n

But as studies were carried out, it became increasingly more obvious that \u2013 at the time at least, and on primitive forms of artificial surfaces \u2013 jumps racing was dangerous on all-weather tracks, with more injuries reported.<\/p>\n

The artificial surfaces are considered more dangerous for jockeys too \u2013 most are laid on top of a solid foundation, rather than more forgiving grass and mud \u2013 so it wasn\u2019t a great surprise when jumps racing at all-weather tracks was outlawed in the mid 1990s.<\/p>\n