Cheltenham Festival
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28 Feb 24
10:49
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14 Jul 09
Officials at Cheltenham expect the Festival to get underway on close to soft ground, with the start of the showpiece meeting now only a fortnight away.
Like much of the country, Prestbury Park has endured a predominantly wet winter, but a rare dry weekend has given clerk of the course Jon Pullin reason for optimism.
“As everyone will be very well aware, we’ve had a very wet build up this year,” he said on Tuesday.
“Thankfully, the rain held off over the weekend and it’s the first 48 hours of dry weather we’ve had for a number of weeks, which has allowed us to at least get on and start to mow this week, which was very much needed, so I’m pleased that we got that window.
“We’d be soft ground, as you can imagine with the rain that we’ve had, and the cross country would be heavy in places as well.”
While further rain is forecast in the coming days, Pullin is not expecting a huge swing in conditions either way ahead of day one of the Festival on March 12.
He added: “The forecast for the next seven to 10 days remains unsettled. Thursday looks as if it could be quite wet, but apart from that it’s just little bits and pieces.
“We’ll see how we go, but if that forecast remains, we’ll have similar ground to what we do now for the start of the Festival, I would imagine.
“There’s nothing scary I’m seeing in the forecast at the moment. We’ve been fortunate we’ve been a lot milder this year than last and the grass covering has been good.
“We did put a bit of fleece down on the New course in the home straight for a couple of weeks, just to kickstart the recovery there, but the grass is looking really well after the cut this morning, so we’re pleased with where we are at this stage.”
Like much of the country, Prestbury Park has endured a predominantly wet winter, but a rare dry weekend has given clerk of the course Jon Pullin reason for optimism.
“As everyone will be very well aware, we’ve had a very wet build up this year,” he said on Tuesday.
“Thankfully, the rain held off over the weekend and it’s the first 48 hours of dry weather we’ve had for a number of weeks, which has allowed us to at least get on and start to mow this week, which was very much needed, so I’m pleased that we got that window.
“We’d be soft ground, as you can imagine with the rain that we’ve had, and the cross country would be heavy in places as well.”
While further rain is forecast in the coming days, Pullin is not expecting a huge swing in conditions either way ahead of day one of the Festival on March 12.
He added: “The forecast for the next seven to 10 days remains unsettled. Thursday looks as if it could be quite wet, but apart from that it’s just little bits and pieces.
“We’ll see how we go, but if that forecast remains, we’ll have similar ground to what we do now for the start of the Festival, I would imagine.
“There’s nothing scary I’m seeing in the forecast at the moment. We’ve been fortunate we’ve been a lot milder this year than last and the grass covering has been good.
“We did put a bit of fleece down on the New course in the home straight for a couple of weeks, just to kickstart the recovery there, but the grass is looking really well after the cut this morning, so we’re pleased with where we are at this stage.”
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Replies: 34
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Good or good to firm, then
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In days gone by the festival aklways started on good ground, then they statered watering for no reason at all.
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"Pulltheotherone and Cheltenham are delighted to have on board official ground sponsors Jason And The Argonauts"
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Ground continues to dry.
Soft going all round currently. (If you take their word for it) |
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I live 20 mins walk from the track and can confirm there have been drying days since Sunday, albeit cool. For me I would see it moving to good to soft by now on all but the cross country. I don't know where the clerk of the course gets his forecast for 5-8mm of rain on Saturday-Sunday as all forecasts that I've looked at suggest half of those ranges for the two days. In other words little rain between now and the first day and also little rain predicted for most of the four days. There seems to be some dispute about the Friday - best/warmest day of the week or some rain depending on the forecast you look at. I do hope the watering can twitcher doesn't se fit to just make sure before day one....as has happened in the past..
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What ground would people choose for the Festival? Genuine soft ground doesn't seem in appropriate to me for a National Hunt festival (though I'd prefer it natural rather than watered).
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Go on met office website
Type in Cheltenham racecourse Than click on map There rain about Saturday Sunday |
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they can just about forecast 24 hours when there is low pressure and fronts blowing through so quickly
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soft seems fair to me !
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7mm overnight ground reverted back to soft
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dry all week then a small amount of rain & its soft again
the cheltenham festival 1911-2017 RIP |
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I'm not sure what anyone can do about a wet winter, Wonders.
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water less in drier periods
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So potentially sacrifice the meetings in October/November/December/January? It's an option, but a drastic one.
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This year you can not blame the over watering of courses by coc for the current soft ground.
The water table is so high at the moment. Our paddocks were just starting to dry out this week, but the rain last night and today, and they are swimming again. |
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what part of the country are you brandy
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Buckinghamshire
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Another weather front on its way Tuesday
With rain |
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ok cheers brandy good luck.
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strontium • March 10, 2024 12:02 PM GMT
So potentially sacrifice the meetings in October/November/December/January? sounds like the cart being put before the horse imo I'm old enough to remember bula hurdle meeting in december being run on g/f and it was never a problem then (although it would be now with modern attitudes & training routines) |
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cheltenham have 2 tracks no reason why they couldn't use 1 as watered for autumn & winter fixtures leaving the other for march
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Yes, which is why they (sometimes) need to water now. Cheltenham gets big crowds, particularly in November and new year's day, not to mention media rights and levy money. They can't work around the festival alone.
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NYD circa 10k festival 60k+ each day
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They run october & November on the old course, then it's left until March. Dec & Jan are run on the new course, with the last 2 days of the festival. It would fundamentally change the character of races like the Champion Hurdle and Champion Chase if they were moved to the new course. Even if the old course could take all the other meetings.
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Nyd often 45,000.
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I wouldn't change anything just water less
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if october has to be run on g/f so be it
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same in april
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exeter have found that out the hard way because the surface is fooked beyond belief there during cooper's tenure
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and they are 1 of a long list
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No one is disagreeing with you that all courses are over watered.
But that has absolutely nothing to do with the going at the moment. Everywhere is saturated. |
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all courses are over watered.
But that has absolutely nothing to do with the going at the moment if you can't see the contradiction there then you are beyond help |
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look at tracks that use flat tracks as hurdle course & have liberally watered chase track
sandown, leics, carlisle (outer hurdles track) etc they experience the same weather but produce vastly different going on their hurdle & chase tracks 2+2=? |
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Best of luck.
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