Racing Victoria Limited stewards don't see the beetle infestation that has damaged the Flemington track as a problem for Saturday's races, unless it rains during the meeting.Deputy chairman of stewards Allan Reardon said the worst-affected area of the track, which is rated a heavy (8), was between the winning post and the 2000m mark.The longest race on Saturday's eight-race program is 2000m so horses will not race over that area."Fortunately we don't have to race over that section, it's just pul

Racing Victoria Limited stewards don't see the beetle infestation that has damaged the Flemington track as a problem for Saturday's races, unless it rains during the meeting.

Deputy chairman of stewards Allan Reardon said the worst-affected area of the track, which is rated a heavy (8), was between the winning post and the 2000m mark.

The longest race on Saturday's eight-race program is 2000m so horses will not race over that area.

"Fortunately we don't have to race over that section, it's just pulling up (the horses after the race)."

A month ago Flemington track manager Mick Goodie found that the cockchafer beetle had infested the track's root system and was causing havoc with the course, leaving it shifty and heavy.

Reardon said he and other stewards inspected the track on Friday morning with Goodie.

In an effort to protect the worst-affected area as much as is practical, jockeys will be asked to keep their mounts wide going to the barrier and on pulling up and returning to scale.

"Obviously some horses aren't going to be able to do that. It's not unsafe, but it's very heavy compared to the other sections of the track," Reardon said.

Reardon said visibility could be a problem for jockeys if it rained during the meeting.

"Obviously if we get conditions like we did in the last race last Saturday when Glen Boss and Brian Park said they just couldn't see, visibility would be the main issue," he said.

The forecast is for showers on Saturday morning.

Goodie said there had been 31.4mm of rain this week.

"Anyone who knows anything about cockchafers will tell you that that's (rain) the last thing I need because I've got no root system to drag it through so it's very puggy," Goodie told Sport 927.

"I expect the junction coming out of the straight to really divot and from the 600 metres to the 400 metres and the last 200 metres. All in all it's going to divot."

Victoria Racing Club chief executive Dale Monteith said the club had got to the problem early enough to ensure it would not affect the track come spring carnival time and the 150th running of the Melbourne Cup.

"I am sure the spring carnival won't be affected," he said.

"But it will be a problem over the next couple of months.

"It's obvious the track is not racing as well as it should. We haven't had a heavy track at Flemington since we rebuilt it (in 2007).

"It's only heavy because the root structure is not there to hold it together.

"It's a problem we haven't had here for 30 years."

The rail will be out 6m for Saturday's meeting after being out 3m last Saturday.

The next Flemington meeting is on June 26, followed by Winter Championship Final day on July 10 .

The first Flemington meeting of the new season is Aurie's Star Stakes day on August 7.