Epsom ground softens significantly after 30mm of rain on Tuesday - but clerk not ruling out good ground by Derby day

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Heavy rain at Epsom on Tuesday morning and a further 5mm shower in the afternoon led to the ground being described as predominantly good to soft just three days before the start of the Betfred Derby meeting.

It was a significant change in conditions at the track, where the going on the main course had been officially good, good to firm in places on Monday. However, that has been changed to good to soft, good in places with a GoingStick reading of 5.9. The five-furlong course was described as good.

Speaking at lunchtime on Tuesday, shortly before the most recent going change, clerk of the course Andrew Cooper said: "We had about 20mm of rain between midnight and 6am this morning, the bulk of it after 3am. We had a little bit of respite until 9am and there was a 5mm shower about 9am.

• WATCH: Epsom clerk Andrew Cooper with the latest on the ground conditions

"I was surprised and pleased with how well the track had taken that volume of rain. I think that goes back to how quick it was before the rain came. We had left the track alone since Saturday morning, so it’d had all the rest of Saturday, Sunday and Monday to dry and settle back. It walks to me on the Derby course as a mixture of good and good to soft. I didn’t come across anything I'd particularly call soft and in general a lot of ground is on the slower side of good."

The downpour has made Precise's participation in the Betfred Oaks uncertain, with her trainer Aidan O'Brien saying: "We wouldn't want to run her on soft ground when she's going that much up in trip."

A further 5mm shower arrived in mid-afternoon and Cooper expects more rain to fall before the two-day meeting begins on Friday.

More rain is forecast at Epsom throughout the week

He said: "It’s an unsettled theme. The temperature isn't getting much above 19C or 20C, possibly a bit less. You could see some level of rain on any of the days coming up, none of which at the moment looks to be particularly heavy, but on each day there's definitely a chance of a couple of millimetres of rain at least, largely showery.

"Based on the forecast, I could see us being probably not wildly dissimilar from how we are now, maybe even a little bit better. I wouldn’t rule out good, slow side of good [on the Derby course]. This place will continue to take rain well and a millimetre or so a day really isn’t going to have much impact.”

• Who will benefit from Epsom's deluge in the Derby and Oaks - and who won't? 

Support for Pierre Bonnard after rain arrives

The Betfred Oaks (4.00) is the feature on the opening afternoon, while the Aidan O'Brien-trained Benvenuto Cellini is the red-hot favourite for the Derby on Saturday. The final fields for both races will be declared on Wednesday morning.

Benvenuto Cellini was pushed out to 2-1 from 7-4 by Paddy Power, whose spokesman Paul Binfield said: “We originally didn’t take any action when the going changed this morning, but he has been quiet enough today, with punters perhaps cautious of the ground given he underperformed in the Futurity on a soft surface."

Coral have trimmed the price of his Group 1-winning stablemate Pierre Bonnard to 6-1 (from 7).

Spokesperson David Stevens said: "Pierre Bonnard was the Derby favourite earlier in the year and, although he has since lost that position, he'll head to Epsom as a Group 1 winner on very soft Saint-Cloud ground. Any further rain at Epsom this week can only enhance his chance."

Read more:

Benvenuto Cellini tops seven-strong Derby team for Aidan O'Brien as 17 go forward for Epsom 

The house that Galileo built - how the ultimate Derby kingmaker reshaped Britain's greatest race 

Kieren Fallon: 'Constitution River would have won the Derby - but Aidan O'Brien will win it anyway as I can't see any real opposition' 

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