ITV forecaster Verasamy predicts wet spell and colder nights

ITV Racing weather forecaster Lucy Verasamy expects Cheltenham to receive further rain over the coming days and has forecast possibile frost and fog during the festival.

On Wednesday clerk of the course Simon Claisse reported the Old and New courses to be predominantly good to soft with both being soft in places, but he stressed considerable rain is possible up to Saturday week.

Verasamy took a similar view was taken on Thursday, saying: "After a dry winter it has been a wet start to March.

"Cheltenham could see up to another 10mm on Friday, 6mm at the weekend and 3mm on Monday, with smaller, negligible amounts from showers. By the middle of next week it will become drier as pressures builds and turn a little milder, too.

"Come the week of the festival, at this stage there are hints of high pressure that will lead to drier conditions and a chance of colder nights with frost and fog not out of the question."

Further rain is set to fall at CheltenhamCredit: Edward Whitaker

Claisse, who receives dedicated weather reports from former BBC presenter John Kettley, added: "There has been more uncertainty this year because of the inaccuracy of the weather forecasts. Compared to my other 16 festivals, the forecasts seem to have been so much more inaccurate.

"My comment about John Kettley, who does our forecasting, is he is the least inaccurate, rather than the most accurate, of all the forecasters we follow."