Many of Lawn Solutions Australia premium Turfgrowers have developed long-lasting relationships with the racing industry and a fair chunk of that turf will be on display when it comes to one of the world’s most prestigious races – the Melbourne Cup. The Cup’s Flemington Track racing surface was completely replaced just over ten- years-ago with the turf still standing up to the punishment dished out in hundreds of races over that time. There was a massive 100,000 square metres – that’s ten hectares of turf – that was installed in small rolls with around six thousand square metres – around a soccer pitch size – laid every day during the process. Premium Eureka Kikuyu was the turf of choice and was oversown with a rye and bluegrass mix with the turf specially-grown at Lawn Solutions Australia turfgrower Anco Turf.
Eureka Kikuyu is a tough and hardwearing variety that is grown vegetatively, with the runners or stolons chopped up into little pieces and planted uniformly usually on a turf farm situation. The addition of the seeded grasses, the rye and blue grasses provides added protection over winter months where these grass-types will keep growing whilst the Kikuyu slows down its growth and becomes dormant over that period. Growing and maintaining a grass surface with a mix of this type then becomes a fine balancing act that can be difficult to continue long-term as the differing grass types try to out compete with one-another. The Turfgrowers, track manages and specialist curators that handle the management of the turf go to great lengths to maintain the health and viability of the kikuyu grass track and provide a safe and uniform surface for each race.
Take a closer look next time you’re near a racecourse and you’ll see how fine-tuned the turf is usually presented and the hard-working grounds people that, even between races on race day, will be seen touching up the track. Be on the lookout for another similar replacement taking place in the next couple of years on the nation’s most famous racing surface with new turf being currently grown for another scheduled new swap-out within the next couple of years. Lawn Solutions Australia turfgrowers ANCO Turf will again be displaying their professionalism when it comes to the replacement, with specially grown Eureka Kikuyu turf from their Victorian Turf Farms.
Behind ‘The Race that Stops a Nation’, there’s a whole raft of behind-the-scenes things going on where there is very close attention-to-detail. The Eureka Kikuyu from Lawn Solutions Australia member grower, ANCO Turf and the quality it presents, is just one of the special features that aids in the high standing of this spectacular, international event. Lawncare doesn’t need to be difficult and simple hints from Lawn Solutions Australia and their network of member turf growers and Lawn Solutions Centres Australia-wide can help with products to keep your lawn in top condition this summer.