The Melbourne Racing Club says it will monitor how Sandown performs in the coming weeks – and transfer meetings if it races poorly – after serious consideration was given across the last week to temporarily closing the track.
It follows widespread criticism of the Caulfield track, with Racing Victoria on Tuesday saying they will work with the MRC, saying Saturday’s track ”did not perform to the standard that we all desire”.
The club said on Tuesday that Caulfield’s full resurfacing – which will occur following the Caulfield Cup – is the first time it has happened since 2014.
The Sandown Hillside is the latest Victorian track to struggle heading into winter with the surface racing poorly on May 23, an unusual phenomenon for a track considered by punters as one of Victoria’s best. The track’s Lakeside surface raced well the five flat races conducted on Sunday.
Betsy has been told there had been possible drainage issues at Sandown which may have explained its May 23 performance and heavier than expected conditions.
It is understood that the MRC and Racing Victoria debated last week temporarily closing Sandown to give it time to recover ahead of a busy spring, with some advocating giving the track a rest over winter.
The track is a crucial part of the racing ecosystem in Victoria given the number of meetings it holds and increased work load this spring.
The MRC will again take some of the Moonee Valley Racing Club’s races, with the Moir Stakes set to be run there on September 5.
In a statement, the MRC did not rule out shutting Sandown at some stage if there was evidence it needed a rest.
”The Sandown track performed well last Sunday. It carries the most metropolitan race meetings of any Melbourne track and that is why it was so important to save racing at Sandown,” the club statement said.
”It will have a big 2026 Spring, with transferred Group 1 meetings from Moonee Valley, which is now closed and Caulfield following its renovation after the Caulfield Cup. Our first priority is to have Sandown performing well in the Spring and that takes priority over everything else.
”We will continue to monitor the track through winter and, if we need to transfer any meetings to give the track a rest, we will do so. Nothing has been decided at this stage and any decision will depend on the weather and how the track is performing. That is a logical and common sense approach and is fully supported by Racing Victoria.”
The club also revealed that a major renovations will be undertaken at Sandown in late 2027 or late 2028.
MRC ”acknowledges the concerns raised regarding the Caulfield track”
”Following the Spring Carnival, Caulfield will undergo a planned major renovation commencing on 20 October 2026, with the track scheduled to reopen on 30 January 2027 with a new surface designed to perform to the highest possible standard in all weather conditions.”
Analysis challenges heavy workload claim
The club’s head of racecourses, Michael Suey, told media on Tuesday that Caulfield’s poor performance could be put down to an increased workload.
But analysis by Betsy shows that the number of meetings remain consistent with previous years.
Caulfield has featured 10 metropolitan meetings between 1 January and 1 June 2026, including eight meetings conducted from the beginning of February through to the start of June. No Boxing Day meeting was held during the 2026 period.
Comparisons with 2025 are problematic, with meetings in January and early February transferred to Sandown following the fire inside the Caulfield grandstand. However, from the start of February to the end of May, eight meetings were conducted in 2026 and seven in 2025.
The MRC staged 10 meetings between 1 January and 1 June in 2024, in addition to a Boxing Day fixture. Comparisons with 2023 are also constrained, as meetings were transferred to Sandown while Caulfield underwent an extended closure.
Prior to that, the club conducted 10 meetings from 1 January to the end of May in 2022, plus a Boxing Day meeting, and 12 meetings during the same period in both 2021 and 11 in 2020, with each year also including a Boxing Day fixture.
In response, the MRC said the concentration of racing since march was the highest it has been since 2007.
”Caulfield has carried an unusually concentrated workload through autumn, with the March to May period producing 58 races the highest number for that window since 2007/08,” the club said.
”That workload has coincided with a wetter May than last year, almost three times greater, with both Saturday fixtures during the month conducted on rain-affected ground.
”From the Blue Diamond Preview meeting on January 24 through to last Saturday’s May 30 meeting, Caulfield hosted 98 races and 950 starters across 10 meetings – the highest number of races for the corresponding period since the track was last resurfaced in 2014, and the third-highest number of starters in that time.”
”Did not perform to the standard that we all desire”
In response to questions from Betsy, Racing Victoria said they will continue to monitor the MRC’s tracks during the winter months.
“The MRC is responsible for the preparation of its tracks and, like every Club, it makes every effort to present the best track surface possible within the circumstances that prevail at the time,” a spokesperson said.
“We are in discussions with the MRC around the work they are doing to present Caulfield and Sandown in the best possible condition which remains a priority for all.
“We note that the MRC has accepted the public criticism of the Caulfield track on Saturday which did not perform to the standard that we all desire.
“At this time, MRC meetings are proceeding as programmed, but we will continue to maintain close dialogue with the Club throughout the coming weeks as we get deeper into winter.
“RV regularly works with Clubs to determine the suitability of their tracks to host upcoming meetings. We are particularly mindful of ensuring and prioritising the condition of tracks for the feature spring racing period. With The Valley closed, other tracks are required to carry additional meetings up to and during spring.”
