PREMIUM
Sport

Back on track: Seymour track manager keen for big day

Looking good: Seymour Racecourse from above.

The grass was not always greener on Seymour’s side.

Due to poor track conditions, the Seymour Cup has been run only twice at the Seymour Racing Club in the past seven years.

But that is about to change.

With blood, sweat and tears, the team at Seymour Racing Club, led by track manager Brett Thompson, has got the track back to racing condition.

Thompson is a cocktail of nerves and anticipation as the big day approaches.

“We’re really excited to have the Seymour Cup back,” Thompson said.

“Being this track’s first Seymour Cup, we just want everything perfect and want to try and get the track perfect.”

After issues with the turf and flooding kept the Seymour Cup away from its rightful home, Thompson says all major problems have been sorted.

“It originally started in 2015 after the Seymour Cup, the first initial works,” he said.

“This track, the latest edition that’s gone in, has been about two years, so it’s still a very young track and will really grow into itself.

“It’s young, so it needs to develop this time of year.

“It’s exciting to see it develop. It’s getting more and more promising.

“It’s been a little bit softer than normal, but we’ll see some good racing and it will come into its own this summer.”

After the lengthy lead-in to the cup’s return to Seymour, Thompson is excited to see a bumper crowd at the track on Sunday, October 22.

“I mean, this is what we work for. This is our grand final, the Seymour Cup, so it’s what we look forward to, and it’s been disappointing not to have it,” he said.

“So to have this year, really, it’s like being born again.

“I’m just really looking forward to everyone being here and seeing how the track changes moving forward.

“It’s been a huge team effort from everybody. Everyone’s been through a lot, the community and also the racing club.

“We’re just going to enjoy the Seymour Cup being back.”