Speedcut contractors carried out work at Royal Windsor Racecourse to alleviate compaction caused by metal track crossovers that carried heavy vehicles and visitors during IOG SALTEX.
And they also decompacted the ‘pull-up’ bend after the finish line, which they have done over the last four years. This has improved root development and aids the traction of horses’ hooves to avoid slippage.
Crossover walkways during SALTEX carry large amounts of traffic with very heavy transport vehicles, and Speedcut have been called for the last three years to solve compaction with their Gwazae deep-probe aerator.
“Speedcut do an excellent job,” says Jeff Green, Royal Windsor clerk of the course and grounds manager. “This is my fifth season at Windsor and we have developed a very good working relationship with Barry Pace and his team.”
Contracts manager Barry says: “Jeff and the team do a brilliant job and work very quickly after SALTEX to get the course back into shape.
“The Gwazae is ideal for deep decompaction with compressed air and we inject a seaweed solution, gypsum and a wetting agent into the holes for added lasting decompaction.”
Immediately after SALTEX when the walkways are removed, Jeff overseeds – using BSH A20 Ryesport – and covers the areas. Seed is pre-germinated for faster rooting.
“We were lucky with the weather this year,” says Jeff. “The hot dry conditions made things easier and the layout of the show had changed making it more compact.
“It was very noticeable from the Grandstand that the show was laid out with better avenues – and the number of flags on stands appears to have grown.”
Speedcut managing director Dick Franklin was at SALTEX himself to buy a new John Deere 5100M from Farol of Thame, who had a stand at the show.
This year has been one of the busiest on record for Speedcut with sports pitch construction and golf course projects across the country – including Wales, Somerset, Oxfordshire, Surrey, Essex, Kent and Sussex.
At Foxhills Golf Club and Resort, Surrey, they completed more greens reconstruction and reshaping as well as carrying out drainage on the driving range.
And at Orpington Golf Centre, Kent, they have levelled and regraded three tees – with a fourth built from scratch as an addition to the excellent facilities at the centre, which is part of Cray Valley and Rushley Park owned by MyTime Active, who use Speedcut as their regular contractor.
At Hadlow College, Essex, the leading horticultural training establishment, Speedcut have been building new pitches for training and matches.
And at Westerham Football Club, for the town council, they have been building a new pitch for training.
At Wedmore in Somerset new football pitches have been built and two new pitches have been built for Swansea Uplands Rugby Football Club. Chairman Phil Owen priiased Speedcut for a “fantastic result with faultless workmanship.”
Speedcut also carried out complete construction of three high-standard football pitches at Northwick Park, Harrow, for Brent Council – in the shadow of Wembley Stadium.
“This has been a very busy year in which we have taken advantage of the excellent summer weather,” says Speedcut MD Dick Franklin.
