The board of Norsk Galopp has decided to renew the dirt track at Øvrevoll. The work begins in November and means that the race days on Thursday 5 and Thursday 12 November are cancelled. Chairman Finn Kristiansen announced it in a statement on Sunday.
Horse welfare weighs heaviest
The dirt track is the most important part of the facility. It is used for training all year round and for racing in the season, and after nearly ten years with the current surface it is heavily worn, Norsk Galopp writes. The board therefore judges that the work has to be carried out now, and the regard for horse welfare and safety weighs heaviest in that judgement.
Several options have been considered, but as the situation stands Norsk Galopp believes the best solution is a full renewal of the track.
New sand and a new membrane
The track will get new sand and a new membrane, the drainage will be improved and unevenness put right. That should give safer and more stable conditions for both training and racing – also when it rains and when temperatures change.
The trainers were briefed on the project at an information meeting a couple of weeks ago. At that point the cancellation of the last two race days was under consideration; now the decision has been taken to give the work the time it needs.
Ready for 2027
The work is to be planned so that the period without normal use of the track is as short as possible, and trainers and others affected will be kept informed about the progress and about the conditions for training along the way. The aim is better training conditions through the winter, and the track must be ready for use during the build-up to the start of the 2027 season.
The track in the season
The dirt track has carried a large share of the autumn’s racing at Øvrevoll. The whole race day on Thursday 1 October was run on it – all seven races – and two of Sunday’s eight races are on the dirt track as well.
With the cancellation of 5 and 12 November, Sunday 1 November stands as the season’s final race day at Øvrevoll.
