Riders report conditions set to be testing on Grand National course on Saturday

Jockeys warned ground conditions were testing on the Grand National course, 24 hours ahead of the world's most famous chase.

Friday's Topham Chase was the first race over the course open to professional riders at the meeting and was won by Ciaran Gethings on Arizona Cardinal.

Among those taking part, Danny Mullins said: "The ground is testing," while Harry Skelton reported: "It's proper soft ground" and Harry Cobden said: "It's testing, it's pretty soft round the Canal Turn and in that area."

Gethings said: "It's a little bit tacky from the Canal Turn to the main track but it's not desperate."

The winner completed the course in 5min 42.92sec and Racing Post time analysis suggests the ground was soft.

Jockeys felt the ground on the other courses had dried slightly and Mark Walsh said: "It's dead, soft – there's no heavy in it. It's tiring ground. It's drier than yesterday and they're probably not going as deep in places, but it's still very dead."

At the close of racing on Friday, conditions were officially described as soft, heavy in places on the Grand National course and soft on the Mildmay chase and hurdles courses. It is forecast to remain dry through Saturday morning, although there is the prospect of showers hitting the track during Saturday afternoon.

Looking ahead to Saturday following the conclusion of racing on Friday, clerk of the course Sulekha Varma said: "It looks as though it will be dry tonight but there are showers around tomorrow afternoon."

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