StrathAyr® TRACK SYSTEMS what they say about us
See also:  Letter from the Chairman of StrathAyr Concerning Horse and Jockey safety Dr Andrew Clarke's Report on Catastrophic and Non-Catastrophic Injuries
“I use the StrathAyr for gallops whenever I can because that helps ease the wear and tear on their legs.” Master Australian trainer, Bart Cummings. “It offers a cushion that is beneficial to horses and their trainers, who don’t take home horses that have jarred up. It is very horse friendly…  I found it very safe to race on.” Internationally renowned-jockey, Greg Childs. “It seems to endure the heavy racing schedule that comes with Victorian racing. It stands up to a lot more racing.” Noted big-race jockey, Steven King. “They never lose a meeting and I’ve never seen a heavy track. Soft is the worst.” Former prominent Australian trainer and a leading Singapore trainer, John Meagher. “Racing on a StrathAyr track is like racing in heaven. The good thing is you don’t have to die to experience it.” Former top Kiwi trainer and leading Singapore trainer, Laurie Laxon. “I find the StrathAyr performed to it’s best where it has been laid on bigger tracks like Hong Kong’s Sha Tin and Singapore’s Kranji.  In the humid conditions and with the torrential rains, the tracks cope so well.” Accomplished international jockey, Dan Brereton. “I think the StrathAyr surface at Moonee Valley has been outstanding in all conditions.”   Respected Sydney trainer, Guy Walter.	“While the other tracks can become rock hard, Moonee Valley never gets hard enough to worry them. It (StrathAyr) is a very kind surface.”   Top Adelaide trainer, Leon Macdonald. “Extensive records collected over many years on both cool and warm season sand reflex racing profiles has definitely proved to me that this type of surface will be the tracks for the future!! Whilst at Moonee Valley and presently after 2.5 years at Kranji Singapore we are continually amazed at how well the StrathAyr Track recovers, resists high rainfall and meets heavy annual racing demands.” Track Manager at Singapore’s Kranji circuit, Ian Trevethan. “The old Moonee Valley track was too hard during the summer and too wet during the winter. We haven't raced on firm track since the introduction of StrathAyr. I think we've only had heavy tracks once or twice at the most. It has always provided fair racing.” Racing Victoria Limited’s chief steward, Des Gleeson. “On 2 February 2005 Melbourne had its worst storm in 110 years. 122mm of rain was recorded in the 24 hours prior to the night meeting at Moonee Valley on Thursday 3 February. The track was upgraded from slow to dead during the meeting and was good by the end of the meeting. The track is now in its 10th year and is racing better than ever.” Moonee Valley Racing Club’s racing manager, Fred Fox. “I am a big advocate for the StrathAyr. If you look at Moonee Valley it is probably the most consistent of all tracks – in terms of readings and for racing truly – all the year.” Racecaller and Cox Plate-winning owner, Bryan Martin.
Guaranteed Performance StrathAyr provide a performance specification on all installations:
1. The profile shall maintain a drainage rate (hydraulic conductivity) exceeding 100mm/hr (4 inches/hour) in the field. Measured with a double ring infiltrometer. 2. The surface shall maintain its resiliency, yet be firm under all conditions, over the entire field. Measured by using a 2.25kg (4.96lbs) Clegg Hammer dropped from a 450mm (17.7 inch) height, the profile shall maintain its capability to register a Clegg Hammer range between 50 and 100 gravities under all weather conditions. 3. The System below the grass turf shall not exhibit degradation under usage, subject to appropriate and necessary maintenance practices. 4. The rootzone profile of the system shall maintain a track capacity moisture content (when tested 11/2 hours after irrigation in accordance with "StrathAyr System, Monitoring Performance") of between 15% and 20% at the sand surface over the whole field.	5. The system shall maintain a 100mm (4 inch) root depth concentration. 6. The system shall maintain an observed resistance to divoting and rapid recovery from divoting relative to the performance of a standard USGA sand profile. Divot recovery shall be at least 15% to 50% quicker (depending on time of year), than the standard USGA profile. 7. The system shall withstand the passage of  heavy vehicles and the placement of special events equipment and structures and successfully recover without rutting to the surface over the whole field. The system shall retain sufficient resiliency to absorb and recover after impact from horses, machinery or vehicles. Recovery from loading up to 250kPa should be greater than 50% in accordance with a plate load test.
All items above are subject to maintenance and weather conditions being of a standard to maximise grass growth and recovery. All measurements are in accordance with procedures as supplied in a monitoring performance document.
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