As the Caulfield Racecourse gears up for its biggest race day of the year this weekend, track manager Sam Bennetts and his hard-working crew are working tirelessly to ensure the surface is looking as pristine as ever. 

Thousands of punters are expected to flock through the gates of the famous Victorian track (pictured right on Guineas Day last weekend) on Saturday for the $5 million Group 1 2400m Caulfield Cup, the most lucrative turf race of that distance in the world.  

For Bennetts and his crew of 12 full-timers it’s a chaotic yet rewarding build-up through the spring carnival, considering the track will have held 28 races in just seven days, which includes five Group 1 races - two of which will be on Saturday (the Thousand Guineas and the Caulfield Cup).

The track was rated a Good 3 for the Caulfield Guineas on  Saturday 11 October and Caulfield Social on Wednesday 15 October. Bennetts said his team were anticipating a busy final day of preparation ahead of Saturday’s showpiece Caulfield Cup.

“It’s a bit of rinse and repeat at the minute,” he said. “Luckily, we’ve not been rain affected, otherwise we’d get excessive divotting. We’re really pleased with how the track has pulled up, it’s in pristine condition, showing no signs of any weakness. 

“We benefited from a mild winter. In the 12 months previous every winter race was rain affected, which meant more divotting and when we got to the spring carnival it needed a break.

“We haven ‘t had those challenges this time around which is great. We’ve managed to get to the Thursday and Friday and we haven’t had a horse on it, so the grounds are looking great. We’ve got some good weather going in which helps too.”

Bennetts said the key over the next few days would be about getting enough water on the track and moving the rail back to three metres for Saturday’s Caulfield Cup. The team moved the rail out to the 12-metre position for Wednesday’s Caulfield Social meeting but will bring it back in after it was in the True position for the Guineas last Saturday. The rail was also at the 3m position for last year's Cup.

“It’s in for a bit of watering with the warm weather,” he said. ”Management now is about moving the rail back to position, mowing and watering. With the weather we’ll have to do a fair a bit of irrigation, which is applied through our boom irrigators, and it takes two staff to operate so we need staff later in the afternoon and work later. 

“It’s been a challenging time around setting the rail race day per race day. The rail was in the true position and then the race (on Wednesday) at 12 and then Saturday at the three so there is a lot of work there for the guys.” 

Despite the long hours his crew are spending on the track, Bennetts said it was an incredible sight to see the famous racecourse in this condition for the world to admire.

“Aesthetically it is the most pleasing thing about what we do,” he said. “It kind of makes all the sacrifice and long hours the team do worth it. When all the eyes are on the site it pumps up the tires of the team and makes the hours more enjoyable.”

The Caulfield Cup’s 10-race card begins at 12.15pm with the Group 1 races, the Thousand Guineas at 3.45pm and Caulfield Cup at 5.15pm.

Story by Nick Creely/ Pictures by Melbourne Racing Club