Valley track a concern

There are concerns the gale force winds which lashed Melbourne on Friday could produce a shifty surface at Moonee Valley for Saturday's Manikato Stakes meeting.

The track at Moonee Valley was rated a Dead 4 with a penetrometer reading of 4.51 on Friday morning and while the club was aiming to have a Good 3 surface for Saturday's meeting a gusty dry northerly could prove more of a hindrance than a help.

No rain has been forecast leading into the meeting but winds will ease on Saturday morning, the weather bureau has predicted.

Moonee Valley Racing Club track manager Greg Barker said the sand-based StrathAyr surface at the track crumbled and loosened if too dry.

"It's a bit like the beach. If the water's lapping up on the beach you can walk on it alright," he said.

"But if you go up the top where there's no water it's hard work. In a nutshell that's where we are with this place."

Barker will water the track on Friday afternoon after consulting the weather bureau.