Racing: Local rider Lynsey Satherley says Cambridge's new synthetic track is all about speed

Lynsey Satherley has had six wins on the synthetic surface, including a treble at one meeting. Photo / Supplied

The jockey making a name for herself as the star of the synthetic says Cambridge's new track is all about speed.

And local rider Lynsey Satherley thinks she has a couple of horses who can thrive on the new surface there again Wednesday.

The synthetic track has been a big success since opening two months ago, with even racing, larger than expected fields and little negative feedback, the latter a rarity with any major change in the racing industry.

Wednesday's meeting has again drawn nine races as a build-up to the first major meeting and more official launch of the track on July 28, with four $40,000 races to end the season.

Satherley says she can't wait for that meeting, understandable since she has ridden six winners on the synthetic surface already, including a treble at one meeting, with her six winners from 28 starts giving her a strike rate of 4.7.

"I have really enjoyed it and I think most of the horses do too," Satherley told the Herald.

"Obviously any jockey likes going to the race when they have nice rides but I'd rather be racing on a consistent surface like this in winter than say some of the heavier tracks.

"And the fact it is five minutes from home helps."

Satherley, who rides a lot of track work and trials, says some horses take one run on the new surface to get used to the different type of kickback and plenty are better for their second outing there.

So how is the actual racing different from what would almost certainly be a winter slog on any other track?

"I think it is very speed-related," says Satherley, whose 29 wins this term is her best total since her 34 winners in 2004.

"On this track, all the horses can run as fast as they like, unlike a wet grass track which some of them don't handle.

"At the first meeting that meant all the races were run pretty quickly and that tempo is the key because if they go hard early you can still win sitting off them or even coming wide and pressing on.

"We have seen a couple of the mudders who I thought wouldn't handle the track win because they turned the races into staying events.

"So the tempo, which tends to be quick, has been a real key because you don't have to worry about horses just not handling it at all and means they can still come from anywhere to win," Satherley says.

She will partner impressive last-start winner Pablo Casals (R7, No.5) who she won on here two starts ago before he won a highweight on the synthetic last start.

"He has to be a good chance but like a lot of horses today he is also getting ready for a $40,000 final in two weeks so might be even better then," she says.

As for the synthetic's first big meeting in two weeks, Satherley, 38, says she can't wait to get back on Clever Ruds, the three-year-old filly who has won both her race starts and her only trial on the new surface.

"She is a really smart filly who is missing this week's meeting to ensure she doesn't get more weight for the $40,000 race and I am having some really good success for Debbie Sweeney so she is the one I'm really looking forward to for finals day."