Gosford, NSW – August 2026
Following Gosford Race Club’s final race meeting in August, the course proper will undergo its annual renovation, with this year’s works to include sand grooving of the track surface.
The work will be led by Track Manager Stephen Scollard and his team as they prepare the course for the upcoming summer racing season.
The annual renovation will begin with the grass being cut back, allowing the track team to carry out essential maintenance across the racing surface.
This year will also see the return of sand grooving, a specialised maintenance process undertaken at Gosford approximately every five to six years.
Sand grooving involves using specialised machinery to cut narrow, evenly spaced vertical slits through the track surface. These slits are then filled with specially designed drainage sand, creating pathways through the profile of the track.
The process is designed to improve the movement of water and air through the soil profile, while also helping to relieve compaction caused by horse traffic, machinery and changing weather conditions.
“Sand grooving is an important part of maintaining the long-term performance of the track,” said Gosford Track Manager Stephen Scollard.
“It allows water and air to move more freely through the profile and gives the roots better access to both. It also helps relieve compaction and creates a more uniform racing surface.
“The aim is to have the track continue to perform at a high standard through varying weather conditions, while maintaining the standards expected by the club and the racing industry.”
The work forms part of Gosford Race Club’s ongoing commitment to providing a safe, consistent and high-quality racing surface for horses and jockeys.
The benefits of the track improvements undertaken in recent years have already been recognised by leading trainers, including Chris Waller, who recently praised the Gosford surface.
“It is a pleasure to race horses at Gosford. The upgrades to the track have been a success. It’s a good surface to race on, horses race well there and they recover well which is equally as important,” Waller said.
“Gosford continues to go ahead and be an important part of Sydney racing.”
Scollard said maintaining the track was an ongoing process and that the renovation period was an important part of preparing for the next season.
“The work we do during the renovation period is about setting the track up for the months ahead,” Scollard said.
“We want to provide a uniform surface that performs well in all conditions and gives horses the best possible racing surface.”
With the final race meeting of the season taking place on Friday, 28 August, the track team will then turn its attention to the renovation works before Gosford’s summer racing program gets underway.
Before renovation works begin, racegoers can enjoy the final meeting of the season at Tradies Race Day on Friday, 28 August 2026. Purchase tickets for Tradies Race Day at Gosford.
To plan your next day at the races, view the full calendar of upcoming summer racing events at Gosford and secure your tickets online.