Infrastructure development manager Callum Brown travelled to Albury for an update on the biggest improvements to the club's racing surface in its 136-year history.

Albury has not raced since June last year, but planning is under way for horses to be allowed on the course proper for trackwork from late February with a Non-TAB meeting identified for March 4.

Albury will then host a heat of the rich Country Championships on March 19 before the Gold Cup meeting five days later.

Brown said the track improvements were noticeable.

“The track is looking really good,” he said.

“The drainage work is excellent and the camber on the new section is really good.

“You can obviously see the difference the irrigation has made.

“It will be top notch compared to the old track.

“But it will be even better in a year when it has all settled.”

Due to the club's desire to have the track repaired for the Gold Cup three separate contracts were let to fast-track major civil works on the back straight and irrigation and drainage improvements to the entire track.

Between 30 and 40 kilometres of irrigation piping has been laid to replace the former labour-intensive and antiquated manual watering system.

The equivalent of 25 millimetres of rain can be put on the entire track in a day with the replacement state-of-the-art, satellite-controlled system.

Albury Racing Club chief executive John Miller thanked the trainers’ for their patience during the major project.

“They've been through a fair bit not being able to work their horses on the grass,” he said.

“Maybe they haven't had as many winners the last few months because they've basically only had a sand track to use.

“But they appreciate the long-term benefit a better track will have.”

The club endured one of its toughest seasons last year with a string of cancelled meetings due to the wet winter.

Last year's Gold Cup meeting was also in major doubt when early morning rain tumbled down.