WODONGA racetrack is set to cash in on a major event and, at the same time, have a major makeover.
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The Ulysses Motorcycle Club is expected to attract up to 6000 members at its annual general meeting at the course in March.
The track will be closed to horses for more than a fortnight with trainers having to float gallopers to Albury for work.
The closure will also be a window of opportunity for the club to widen the track, correct the camber near the outside rail and improve the surface.
The Wodonga and District Turf Club general manager, Tom O’Connor, said the first stage of the work would start next month.
“That will involve widening the home straight,” he said.
“The track itself is 20 metres wide for most of the course but the home straight narrows to 14 metres.
“In January, we will start seeding grass up to four metres inside the running rail.
“When that takes, we will have a straight 18 metres wide and more in keeping with the rest of the course proper.”
O’Connor said the closure would allow the club to renovate the racing surface, the major works would be to iron out the camber of the track.
“At the moment, the track dips away near the outside running rail — a little like a drain,” he said.
“It’s not ideal and limits where horses can be worked on the track.
“We were able to get some funding from Racing Victoria to level that ground, in keeping with the camber of the rest of the track.
“Eventually, we will have a level racing surface, more options where horses can be worked on the course proper and a better racing surface.”
