The Racing facilities

Location

The area on which the racecourse rises, about 55 hectares large, is situated in the territory of Syracuse, near Cassibile, at the foot of the oriental margin of Ibleo highland.

The location is optimal under different aspects, because it is very well connected with the road network of the zone, allowing the racecourse to be easily reached from different directions. Particularly important are therefore the proximity of Syracuse- Gela highway, that brings the public basin also close to Catania city, of Road SS 115, of the provincial roads Mare-Monti and Floridia-Grottaperciata-Cassibile, that insert the racecourse in an inter-provincial territorial area.

Tracks

Exactly the tracks, particularly cared in the project, extremely versatile for the variety of horse activities they can host and for their elevated qualitative standards, granted the success of “Ippodromo del Mediterraneo”, allowing horses technical performances of absolute importance and consecrating the racecourse among the best in Europe. The tracks facilities include: two turf gallop tracks around 30 mt wide and 2.200 and 1.800 mt long, with maximum longitudinal gradient of about 2% and turn ranges superior to 100 mt; a dirt gallop track around 20 mt wide and, 1.650 mt. long, with maximum longitudinal gradient of about 2 % and turn ranges of 80 mt; a sand trot track 20 mt wide and 1400 mt long, with turn ranges of 95 and 85 mt ideally connected to the straight lines, whose parameters were studied to allow the horses maximum speeds, with maximum transversal gradient of 3 % in the straight lines and of 9% in the turns; another turf track for gallop and steeple racing and training situated in the centre of the tracks, around 20 mt wide, with two alternative East turns inserted in the central straight lines allowing races on different routes; a gallop sand training track 6 mt wide and about 2.350 mt long and a gallop turf training track, located on the external circle of the tracks, about 2.300 mt long. The trot track, considering its technical standards, has been judged by the professionals as one of the fastest tracks in Europe. In the track centre there are furthermore two show-jumping competition fields, one in grass, 120 mt. long and 60 mt. wide, and an other one in sand, mt. 60 long and 30 mt. wide.

All the competition tracks now described are equipped with a magnificent illumination plant, whose illuminated surface and technology are the most important in Europe and among the first in the world. Thanks to its thirty light towers, from 25 to over 45 mt high and equipped with around 700 iodide-metallic 2,2 KW powered projectors who permit a total power of 1500 KW, the track lighting assures an optimal degree of illumination in all areas, rendering night races a show of great attraction.

Public Area

The public area, located immediately to the North of the big parking area (32.000 mq large with over 2000 car parks), is around 38.000 mqs. large.

On the big parterre, overlooking the tracks, rise the grandstand buildings. The grandstands contain stands, stages and terraces for the public, services for the race goers and for the staff, restaurants and panoramic cafes with view on the tracks, big public arcades, reserved terraces, press room, TV room and much more. At its East the multi-storey grandstand is connected with a 100 rooms tourist-hotel building (sixty overlooking the tracks) of next opening.

Along the avenue to back of the parterre, delimited by 70 magnificent palms, there are: a big park equipped with children playgrounds and pony club to the East; the qualitative and original “Pashà” restaurant and disco-pub to the West, that can accommodate customers in its big conditioned reception rooms or outside, in a magnificent garden embellished by wonderful trees.

To the East border of the parterre, in proximity of the trot races finish line, there is a steel grandstand with 320 sitting places and around 400 standing places on a long terrace, from which the public can enjoy a beautiful view of all the tracks and of the whole public area. The gallery roofing is held up by steel stays, while on the ground level an elegant column gallery welcomes the betting terminals and comfortable sittings and distributes the public toward the stand and the terrace, through 5 stairways. On West border of the parterre is situated the parade ring where the horses are presented to the public before and after racing. North of the ring there is an area reserved to the public and to the staff, equipped with a 225 mqs large wood gazebo where a stage with standing places and betting points are located and a steel grandstand with 160 sitting places and around 180 standing places, similar to the trot grandstand. Also here the refreshment areas have not to be missed: three hexagonal tents contain cafes and counter-cafes on the grandstand terrace. In this zone there is also a reserved area for the technical services: saddling stalls, boxes for anti-doping control, commissioners, veterinarians and doctors rooms. In this area rises the infirmary.

Stable Area

The stable area contains the services for the horses reception and training and for their staff. It is located to the Southwest edge of the racecourse district, in a reserved area reachable through an independent entry from the road Laganelli - Contrasto. The big area can accommodate 650 horses, in boxes located in buildings, in order to be able to welcome whole stables or even to assign them to different trainers. The stable building, of a very simple architecture, with structure in calcareous masonry tan and some in steel and wood, are equipped with saddleries, deposits and restrooms for the staff. The area offers trotting tracks, paddocks and tame rings.