After another successful Holiday Raceday, Rotorua Racing Club's next scheduled raceday in 2026 doesn’t take place until April, followed by the time-honoured Campbell Infrastructure Rotorua Cup Day on Saturday, 9 May – the Club’s most significant event. 

With January, February and March free from racing here at Rotorua, the team is, once again, rolling up their sleeves and embarking on our annual track renovation.

With track maintenance and preparation under greater scrutiny than ever before, this crucial period of work is all about continuing to invest in the Club’s most important asset, the racing surface itself, and ensuring it is presented in the best possible condition for the upcoming Autumn and Winter racing season.

So, what’s involved this year?

General Manager of Rotorua Racing Club, Damien Radesic, explains that while the approach remains consistent each year, refinements are made each season to suit conditions and timing.

“Each year we look to build on what we’ve done before and make sure we’re giving the track every opportunity to perform well through the colder months,” Damien says.

This year, the renovation process began with the grass being cut down to 40mm, with all clippings removed and taken offsite to a local farm. From there, the track was sub-soiled, verti-drained and cored – all critical steps designed to open up the track profile, improve drainage and promote healthy root development.

Seed was then planted on Monday, 19 January, deliberately timed to get ahead of last week's forecast rain (and rain it did!) and maximise the conditions for successful grass establishment.

Once the seed takes hold, the track will continue to be carefully managed and irrigated to support strong, even growth across the surface. As the grass establishes, regular mowing will follow to ensure the grass stands up correctly and avoids matting.

This annual renovation process is a key part of the Club’s ongoing commitment to delivering a racing surface that is fair, safe and consistent for participants.

“We make a commitment to our stakeholders every season to invest in our track,” Damien says. “Completing this work each year allows us to present the best possible surface and have the track ready to go for racing from late April.”

With another successful renovation underway, Rotorua Racing Club is once again setting the foundations for a strong Autumn and Winter racing season ahead.