Singapore horse-racing reached another milestone when the spanking new Polytrack circuit was opened for its first trial gallops on September 12.

Indeed, barely a day after the last truck-loads of the synthetic surface had been laid flat on Track 2 that the first sounds of pounding hooves could already be heard around the track erstwhile known as Fibresand.

Trainer Sam Chua’s Daring Mellifont will go in the history books as the first galloper to step onto the Polytrack proper at 8.30am, and was followed soon after by 37 other horses from various yards.

As the brownish mixture of sand, fibres and chopped rubber requires a little more time to settle down, the first trials were restricted to a light canter around one lap.

Hadrian (Daniel Meagher) finishes off his spin around the new Polytrack.

“Though it needs time to settle, we wanted to open the track as soon as possible,” said track manager R Jayaraju.

“The horses will only do slow work for now. We’ll have a lot more trotting and cantering on Monday.”

It may have been a soft launch, but the rave reviews have been coming in thick and fast.

“It felt very good. It’s still a little wavy, just like how Track 7 felt when it was just opened, but with more conditioning and traffic in the coming weeks it should level out,” said jockey Noel Callow after his “test drive” aboard Laurie Laxon’s superstar Top Spin.

Kranji’s Track 7 has been a 1,600m-long trial track for the UK-patented surface in the past four months.

Jockey Saimee Jumaat who was astride another one of Laxon’s champions, Why Be, also gave two thumbs-up on his way back.

“I’d race on it tonight!” exclaimed the multiple-champion rider.

“For Why Be to feel good over it, it must be really good. It definitely is a kinder track for horses.

“Obviously it’s still a little loose in some parts but I have no doubt it will be 100 per cent once it has settled down.”

Laxon, who was on hand to get the two jockeys’ first impressions, could not wait for the first Polytrack races scheduled for October 4 to come around.

“I have horses like Magician who I’m sure will love this track. For sure this is different to fibresand but I’m sure I have quite a few who should go well on it,” said the New Zealander.

Guru Glee (Cheng Han Kok) ambles up the Polytrack.

Trainer John Meagher was just as rapt the new alternative track is ready.

“We’re not the pioneers as it’s been a proven surface for a long time,” said Meagher of the surface that has been in use in major racing centres like Wolverhampton, Lingfield Park, Keeneland, etc in the past 20 years.

“I’ve been a fan of Polytrack ever since I stepped on the one at Warren Hill, Newmarket in UK 13 years ago,”

“There will be less attrition among our horses. I had one horse who looked a bit lost around the new track this morning – he’s never felt that good before!

“It’s a sensational track and so much better for the animal. The animal will be so much better for it.”

Meagher’s two-time champion apprentice Adam Fiezan was another one who had been rapidly won over.

“It’s an amazing track. It’s got so much bounce the horses don’t ‘sink’ in it,” said Fiezan.

Steven Burridge’s wife Julie who put World Delight through his first paces around the Polytrack echoed the same sentiments.

“It felt really nice and firm though there was a little bit of water at some spots after the recent rain,” said Burridge, a senior track rider to her husband.

“It’s still a bit undulated but that should even out with more traffic.”

Probably the one who summed up the cushy feel of the track the best was Irish jockey Mark Gallagher, who is always ready for a quip.

“It felt so comfortable I could really sleep on it!"