RACING at Bathurst's Kennerson Park does not look likely to be resuming inside the next six months as club officials uncover the true extent of damage at the track as a result of November's floods.
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Concrete slabs were demolished, a water tank shifted, fencing around the outside of the track was destroyed and electronically-operated dog boxes were left unusable following the floods.
But it's the complete removal of the racing surface that will be one of the biggest hurdles to overcome, with almost every part of the circuit compromised to some extent.
Kennerson Park racing manager Jason Lyne said there's a long way to go before racing can even be considered making a return to Bathurst.
"There's still no timeline. We definitely won't be racing in the next six months," he said.
"We're getting there. We're shifting around a couple of our assets around on the track. Our water cart goes Wednesday. Clean up is going alright but there's still a long way to go.
"Our boxes are getting removed over the next couple of weeks because they've been compromised by water. The need to go back and get reconditioned.
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"You walk around to start one job and you go 'What's this?' and then you find yourself starting another job. Before you know it you've got 10 things happening on the go."
The back straight, which is closest to the Macquarie River, is almost unrecognisable as a former racing surface following the early stages of the clean up.
"Pretty much three quarters of the track has been washed away to its base," Lyne said.
"The home straight goes very silky still. But there's nothing left of the back straight. It's lost about 150 to 200 millimetres in parts. Fixing that is going to require a lot of sand and a hell of a lot of work.
"Everything on the track has been compromised in some way by water.
"We're just taking each week as it comes."
Prior to the floods Kennerson Park hosted a Monday evening meeting throughout the season.
As the clean up continues those meetings will continue to be held at Dubbo and Gunndeah.
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Alexander Grant
Part of the Western Advocate's sports desk in Bathurst.
Part of the Western Advocate's sports desk in Bathurst.
