27-Apr-2011

Ballarat Turf Club's new synthetic track already a winner

By David Brehaut

BALLARAT Turf Club's synthetic uphill track is already a winner.

Sunday Psalm ($3.70), the only horse to work on the new track, saluted in the Simplex Insurance Maiden, 2100 metres, in Ballarat yesterday.

Trainer Dan O'Sullivan put Sunday Psalm through his paces on the newly-finished training facility on Monday.

The workout was part of the handover of the track by manufacturer Proride to the Ballarat Turf Club.

The track, which features electronic timing, is awaiting some final adjustments before being opened to the training fraternity.

O'Sullivan said the uphill track would be a great asset.

As well as the benefits, the uphill nature of the 1400-metre track will offer in improving strength and endurance, O'Sullivan is looking forward to having access to a straight track.

He said it would be a great asset, especially for horses with a history of joint issues and minimising the likelihood of developing leg problems.

O'Sullivan sees Sunday Psalm as a natural beneficiary of doing the bulk of his work in a straight line, having had knee surgery.

Sunday Psalm's win came at his first start since August last year - on the back of the knee surgery, an operation to repair a wind problem and being gelded.

Jockey Michael Walker allowed Sunday Psalm to settled back in the field.

Walker said the son of Keep The Faith only needed a little urging to put himself in the race and then again to sweep to the lead about 350m from the line.

He scored by two lengths from the Shay Brown-trained On The Cards ($3.50 favourite), with first-starter Ravishing Raymondo ($3.90) getting third for Simon Morrison.