Ground gets thumbs-up as forecasters predict dry week

A dry night left the going unchanged at Cheltenham on Monday morning as Simon Claisse and his team prepare for the biggest four days of the jumping calendar.

Conditions remain good to soft on the Old and New courses, and good to soft, good in places on the cross-country track.

Nicky Henderson expressed his delight with the state of the ground when walking the track on Sunday, and Claisse is also happy with the going.

He said on Monday morning: "We had some visitors yesterday who seemed very pleased with what they saw and we've been very happy with the track in the build-up to the meeting.

"Nothing has changed overnight and the outlook remains dry and getting warmer. The ground will dry out, the rate of which depends how much and sun and wind we get."

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