Jockey Les Tilley, who has ridden 22 winners so far this season, believes the new chute will provide more options for riders at the 1200-metre start.
“It opens up a lot of eyes actually, you are no longer jumping straight on to a corner and turning constantly,” Tilley said.
“It is a nice 400-metre run into it.
“We had enough time to get everything under control and get into a nice position before that first corner now.
“It makes a hell of a lot of difference now.”
Eagle Farm trainer Kelly Schweida, who took two maiden gallopers out for Monday’s jump-out, joked that Kilcoy may need to change their nickname from “the Moonee Valley of the north” following the positive track upgrades.
“Not only the dimensions of the track change following this, so does the perceptions of Kilcoy as a track,” Schweida said.
“We are used to a little tight track, just ping out and run.
“They might have to change the name from the Moonee Valley of the north to the Flemington of the north, it is a colossal run in when you have a good look at it.
“As a trainer, this gives you so many more options – it is a great idea and it certainly opens the track up.”
Widely known as a tight-turning track with a short home straight, jockey Tiffani Brooker, who also rode for the Schweida stable, was blown away by the strong grass coverage at Kilcoy.
“I have got to say, the biggest thing for me is the grass coverage, it is absolutely beautiful the track,” Brooker, who rode a winning double at the Sunshine Coast on Sunday, said.
“The surface the great.
“The long run in changes things a lot, there is no longer that scramble that we previously we had there.
“It will give more horses a chance now, riders do not need to force their way into a position now.”
Experienced Toowoomba trainer Kevin Kemp was also represented at Monday’s jump-out, with hoop’s Montanna Savva and Cecily Eaton riding for his stable.
The Kilcoy club will unveil the new chute on race day for the first time next Friday with an eight event program.