Cheltenham Festival set to start on ground on the slow side of good

The Cheltenham Festival is set to start on ground on the slow side of good, with the weather forecast to remain dry in the build-up to the opening day on Tuesday.

The going was changed to good to soft on the Old course – which stages action on Tuesday and Wednesday – from good to soft, soft in places on Monday afternoon following dry conditions.

Cheltenham Festival day one final fields

Clerk of the course Jon Pullin said: "We're now good to soft on the Old course, which we race on for the first two days, and I've switched it to good to soft, soft in places on the New course, which is in use for the last two days.

"We're dry today, with temperatures of around 13 or 14C, and it's a similar forecast for the opening day tomorrow. On Wednesday there's some rain around, with the lower end of forecasts around 3mm but some forecasts indicating up to 8 or 9mm. It'll be spread throughout the day, but if it becomes heavier it'll be during the afternoon."

A total of 12mm of water has been applied to the New course and Pullin will monitor conditions before deciding whether to water again before it gets used on Thursday afternoon. The going is currently described as soft, good to soft in places.

He said: "The Old course hasn't been watered at all, and I can say now that it won't be.

"We irrigated the New course on Friday with 12mm, based on the forecast we were given and the warm temperatures that were expected. We'll see where we are with forecasts for Wednesday and assess how much rain we actually get before making any decision on further watering of the New course."

It is forecast to stay dry on Thursday and Friday.

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