Dry night at Ascot but course still waterlogged in places ahead of Champions Day

Ascot escaped any rain overnight to leave the course on Tuesday still heavy throughout, with part of the round course waterlogged.

There was 10mm of rain at the course on Monday but none after 10pm and clerk of the course Chris Stickels reported "no significant change in any direction" in the ground on Tuesday morning.

No decision will be taken before Wednesday as to whether the three Qipco Champions Day races scheduled for the round course are to be moved to the inner hurdles track, although it will take a fair degree of improvement in the next 24 hours for that prospect to recede.

"We had a total of 10mm yesterday," said Stickels on Tuesday. "We are still heavy on the straight track and heavy, waterlogged in places, on the outer round track. On the inner track it’s a mixture of good to soft and soft."

While conditions are significantly drier on the inner course, the British Champions Day committee and the Ascot executive are officially committed to running on the outer track unless it is unraceable or in serious danger of turning that way during racing.

With more rain on the way from Wednesday, the prospects of the six-race card taking place on anything other than very testing ground are dim.

Stickels said: "We're forecast a dry day today [Tuesday] and clearly if there is no improvement by this time tomorrow then we'll be in a position to make a decision on Wednesday morning, when there is rain forecast and then showers after that. That is the reason for our thinking in terms of waiting until tomorrow."

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