Cheltenham Festival
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As the festival approaches I see the cold snap is predicted to hang about for a while so thought I'd start the thread where locals can post updates from the area as well as any bulletins from Mr Claisse.
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As per normal this year, we all get concerned about the water table.
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More concerned about a loon brandishing a hosepipe
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It doesn't seem a popular opinion on here, but I think Claisse does a good job every year.
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Plenty of snow and rain forecast later this week and into the following week so I’m expecting proper soft going.
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At the moment, I'd be more worried about the permafrost table!
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Ladcrooks have odds on the going and are offering 9/2 on soft.
Tried to have £200 on but max stake allowed (for me anyway) was a fiver.  |
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according to weather forecast there will be only 4 days out of the next 14 day without any rain or snow.
soft going ( at best) would seem very likely |
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https://weather.com/weather/tenday/l/UKXX0032:1:UK
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The course drains extremely well from past experience- but if there is any consistent rain beginning on the 9th/10th/11th then i cant see how the track will have enough time to drain and the normal rate it does.
Will be interesting because Claisse isnt covering the track this week as he is expecting significant snow Simon Claisse first going report is released tomorrow the 28th https://twitter.com/CheltenhamRaces/status/968201450420568069 |
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Why is he not covering the course when he is quoted as saying he expecting significant snowfall and minus 7-8 degrees ?
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There must be some logic to it but beats me
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Don't know but is it maybe that they'd be unable to move the covers afterwards with all the snow on them which would fook the grass covering up, plus when it melts you'd have all that water trapped on top..best let nature take its course??
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Good drainage or not then if as he expects he gets significant snowfall and rain early next week then as unclepuncle says we may well be starting on soft this year
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Duffy is spot on.
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Worth a nibble. Little boost to the fund if is lands, not too much worry if it doesn't
Single The Going For The First Race at Cheltenham Festival 2018 Racing Specials Soft Cheltenham Official Going Odds: 5/1 1 line at £25.00 Total stake for this bet: £25.00 Potential return: £150.00 Time: 27/02/2018 21:14:31 Receipt No: O/153785613/0000511 |
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Over many years there is one thing I've learnt with Simon Claisse and that is to expect the unexpected - and never make betting decisions based on what comes out of his mouth ( especially in the next 2 weeks )
For a clerk of a racecourse he comes under alot of fire which one may expect given he looks after the championship course , but imo its all justified when you go through the numbers. I could write a book on this guy. A vast number of his actions or statements over many years have been totally bizzare have been lambasted by substantial amounts of Jockey's and Trainers and even horse welfare groups.... as either being recklessly careless /neglectful or even dubious - He either waters too much , waters too little , reports it as good when its soft , or completely overthinks his skills to predict the weather and then turns the track into a bog with excess watering ...when he is supposed to keep the ground good. I personally think the job of the cheltenham clerk has gone to his head - He is also the director of Racing there which raises conflicts of interests imo . Too pally with some of these lambourn yards imo Well i think we can predict that there will be no watering this year ....but i wouldn't put it past him - he may come out and say he watered to help melt the snow |
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Hey Equine - even if it was soft - Claisse would still report it as good to soft
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Yes Rozel, there is always that risk but with the going stick it is not quite like the old days.
He could even call it soft (g/s in places) and you collect on soft. For a bet with only really two outcomes, I am happy to risk a bit at 5/1. |
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Who is the 5/1 with equine?
Thanks in advance. |
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oh - thats okay then. so its its soft in places then you still collect ?
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Ladbrokes, was £35 max for me.
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Sorry £25 max
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so if its good to soft, soft in places.... then you still collect ?
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^No - that would be a winner for 'good-to-soft' backers.
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Market now up on exchange
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RozelKid is spot on. Claisse is arrogant and hubristic and has been given too much rope by the Cheltenham executive. He and Mark Cornford (Plumpton) are the first Clerks that I'd turn to if I wanted racing to go ahead under challenging conditions (frost, waterlogging etc) but over the years he's demonstrated time and again that his official going reports are unreliable - they are often changed during the course of racing to what they should've been at the start of racing - and he is frequently reckless with regard to his watering policy.
Whatever the weather conditions over the next two weeks and irrespective of the correct going description, Claisse will describe it as Good to Soft (and possibly soft in places) prior to the start of the Supreme. He'll also make any excuse he can to water the New Course, most probably after racing on the Thursday. |
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any shots of the race course today, must be a fair bit of snow sat on top at the moment, plenty of water there.
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this is today - https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DXHvLxsXkAAN0IT.jpg:large
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Claisse Appreciation Day Cheltenham Racecourse ?
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The current temp is -3 at the course - the forecast is that they will be hit by snow on Thursday through to Saturday .
The long term forecast does show plenty of rain right through to the the beginning of the festival and throughout the week - If the forecast is correct then I cant see how its not going to be soft ground. |
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It probably will be soft ground but no guarantees that Claisse will call it such!
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its just started to come down at Cheltenham - looks like they didn't miss it today https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DXIaRBSWsAE7hvN.jpg
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You'd have to fancy dead ground, whatever they end up actually calling it.
Bit of a nightmare for punters as you can never be quite sure who will go on it and who wont. |
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He hasn't even covered the take off and land sections of the jumps - lmao
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I do not want tacky ground - thats the last thing i want for my fancies - heavy ground fine.....but not that tacky sticky glue ground
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If it's genuine soft ground then he'll call it soft, he isn't going to want the jocks coming in after the first mugging him off.
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Duffy - No Clerk changes the going after the first race (or during the course of a day's racing) with more frequency than Simon Claisse.
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CIK - clerks do change the going on the day of racing , I can remember Claisse doing this on more than one occasion
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RozelKid - which is exactly my point!
Claisse will report the going as one thing but will often be compelled to change (to what he should've called it in the first place) after the first race has been run. His defensive remarks in the face of criticism from the weighing room is always a joy to beyond. Tis a pity more owners and trainers are not as outspoken as jockeys often are when commenting on the condition of the Cheltenham going. |