Widely criticised for its condition at a recent Saturday race meeting, Randwick's Kensington track showed signs of improvement at the midweek fixture on Wednesday.

The surface was panned by trainers and jockeys during the July 27 meeting when even chief steward Ray Murrihy conceded the track "didn't look any good and didn't race any good".

It was rated in the slow range on Wednesday and there were several high-profile defections with Paul Messara scratching his promising three-year-old Panzer Division while John O'Shea withdrew Godolphin's three runners.

Jockey Hugh Bowman rode three winners and felt the track held up reasonably well.

"The track is better than anticipated," Bowman said.

Tommy Berry, who claimed the third race aboard the Gai Waterhouse-trained Himpapawid, was also satisfied but admitted some jockeys riding backmarkers had a different experience.

"I've been quite happy with it," Berry said.

"Then again, I have been on the speed all day. A few of the jockeys on horses behind have said they've been copping a couple of clods but nothing like the other day."

Murrihy agreed the surface was improved, especially considering Randwick received 45mm of rain in the past week.

But he said vulnerable sections near the 600m and home turn did chop up.

"It didn't hold together as well as we'd like but it was certainly much better than last Saturday week when we'd only had five mils of rain," Murrihy said.