Goodwood hit by watering problem in advance of weekend meeting

Officials at Goodwood are hopeful of staging the track's seasonal opener this weekend, but an unprecedented dry spell and problem with the watering system have raised the prospect conditions might become too quick.

A seven-race card, featuring the Listed British Stallion Studs EBF Daisy Warwick Fillies' Stakes, is due to take place on Friday, while another Listed contest – the MansionBet Best Odds Guaranteed Conqueror Fillies' Stakes – headlines Saturday's bill.

However, clerk of the course Ed Arkell and his colleagues were on Tuesday trying to fix a failure with the infrastructure of Goodwood's irrigation system to water the ground, which was described as good to firm, firm in places.

Arkell said: "We can't water at the moment, but the team are working flat out to try to rectify that. We're hopeful we'll be able to get some water on the track at some point by tomorrow morning, but we'll just have to wait and see.

"The last time we had any significant rain was March 13, which was 7.5mm and we've had 3mm of precipitation this month, but that was snow. It's been very, very dry."

Goodwood's feature on Saturday is due to form part of the coverage on ITV's main channel alongside the Qipco 2,000 Guineas at Newmarket and, asked if racing could be in doubt, Arkell replied: "Let's wait and see what goes on and hope we get some water back at some point tomorrow, then we can deal with the quick bits of the track.

Ed Arkell: 'We're working on a fix at the moment'Credit: Mark Cranham

"If we don't get the water back we'll have to deal with that if it happens. There is the chance of some showers tomorrow, but they're hit and miss and, famous last words, I don't think by the time they get to us they'll be that significant.

"We're working on a fix at the moment, which will hopefully give us some water by tomorrow though."

Goodwood is also due to race on May 21 and 22 when the picturesque Sussex venue stages late trials for the Cazoo Derby and Oaks at Epsom.

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