Japanese NH Racing – what is the surface?

[Ex RubyLight]

Most races are run on turf, but this looks rather like sand or some kind of carpet to me. Any clues?

[IanDavies]

Never mind the surface, just look at those lovely STARTING STALLS for a JUMPS race!

It makes me want to go out and buy some sushi!

The Japanese have got the right idea about virtually everything!

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[gamble]

Japanese use 3 artificial surfaces for their horseracing

DIRT comprising (9cm washed sand ) (9 cm screenings)
5cm volcanic stone 10cm Cinder 30cm crusher-run stone. Road bed underneath.

WOODCHIP AND SLOPE

POLYTRACK

My guess for jump racing it might be dirt ( looks like it to me ) however in show jumping they use a sand surface mixed with a 1.5% polyester ( 2020 Olympics). They use a mechanical hoof to test surfaces suitability. Might be this sand mix possibly.

P.s. horses are never bred for jumps they are all ex flat and no racecourse holds more than two jump races a day. Apart from flat there is another type of horseracing where they pull a sled.

[Ex RubyLight]

Thanks gamble, that’s some decent piece of information.

You’re right about the Japanese, Ian. They seem to have an answer for everything.

[patrickleung]

According to JRA website (all in Japanese), The race was run on Turf then Dirt.

（芝→ダート）

芝 is turf in Japanese while ダート is dirt (derived from English pronunciation).

For the jump races in Japan, they are run in the inside track with obstacles and then turn into home straight on turf or dirt (depending on the racecourse).

In JRA’s website, there is a page on their 10 JRA racecourses (https://www.jra.go.jp/facilities/). Below is the course description of Hanshin Racecourse where the race in the video was run:
https://www.jra.go.jp/facilities/race/hanshin/course/index.html

[gamble]

Interesting Patrick and finding the track was clever. I could use you on BB News.

Out of interest I have turned night into day this Xmas and would highly recommend to you 10pm regulars to jump out of your skin for a change. It’s almost like breaking the rules at school and it is so beautifully quiet and spooky as the rest of the world sleeps. I turned in at 3 am and woke up bright as a berry at 9.50.
To get back on track I felt a lot less laboured than these japanese horses.

[Author]

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