Overnight rain leads to ease in conditions for opening day of the Punchestown festival

The Punchestown festival will start on ground described as good to yielding, yielding in places after overnight rain softened conditions. 

The going has changed from good to yielding, good in places following 11 millimetres of rain since Monday morning, with even more showers expected before racing gets under way on Tuesday afternoon. 

Clerk of the course Brendan Sheridan said: "The ground has changed, we've had 11 millimetres of rain since Monday morning, so the ground is now good to yielding, yielding in places. 

"We have six yards of fresh ground on the hurdles track and we have fresh ground today and tomorrow on the chase course, and where needed after that. 

"The forecast going forward is a couple of millimetres more today through lunchtime before clearing into the afternoon. It's dry tomorrow then Thursday and Friday at the moment is pretty uncertain and unsettled, but we're in a good place and all good to go." 

The track's chief executive Conor O'Neill is delighted to see 11 British-trained runners on day one, with seven in the Full Circle Series Final Handicap Hurdle (3.05), and three in the Listed Killashee Hotel Handicap Hurdle (4.15).

O'Neill said: "It is going to be a fitting end to a fabulous season at Punchestown. We're all set for a fantastic five days and it's great to see so many UK-based runners coming over, upholding a longstanding tradition at the festival. 

"It is tinged with sadness too after the shock news about Shishkin. We were so excited about seeing him at Punchestown and would like to send out sincere sympathies to everyone connected with him. What a wonderful horse he was."

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