Cheltenham Festival going improves to good to soft with watering not ruled out

Officials at Cheltenham are prepared to water the course if enough rain does not fall before the start of the four-day festival on Tuesday.

The going was on Thursday updated to good to soft from good to soft, soft in places following a dry week. The result of forecast rain on Friday will determine whether the track waters to maintain ground conditions.

"We've updated the going to good to soft," said clerk of the course Jon Pullin. "The ground has been drying since Sunday and we've had no rainfall since then – and there's been a strong breeze most days.

"We've got some showers forecast for Friday, although they have been reducing in volume as the week has progressed. We'll see what we get and what the updated forecast looks like for the following few days.

"If we don't get a lot of rain tomorrow, and with forecast temperatures of around 15C on Tuesday or Wednesday, we'd consider watering the Old course to maintain safe ground for the opening two days."

The opening race of last season's festival, the Supreme Novices' Hurdle won by Appreciate It, was run on soft, good to soft in places.

The last time the festival started on ground that did not include soft or heavy in the going description was 2017, when Labaik landed the opening race.

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