Significant rain expected to change going for Friday's action at Royal Ascot

Ground conditions for Royal Ascot's fourth day seem likely to range between good and soft, with the racecourse expecting significant rain to fall through Friday.

Jockeys reported fast ground on Thursday but although the track remained good to firm with 21 of the meeting's races completed, the remaining 14 appear set to take place on a slower surface.

Clerk of the course Chris Stickels said: "The bulk of the rain is due from 9am and then there is a high likelihood of it continuing through the day, sometimes heavy, sometimes lighter.

"The best indicators suggest we'll get between 8mm and 12mm, but there is a 30 per cent chance of 25mm. If we get 8mm I think we'll go to good, if it's 12mm we should be on the easy side and if it turns out to be 25mm we would probably be soft."

Ascot clerk of the course Chris Stickels: 'If we get 8mm I think we'll go to good, if it's 12mm we should be on the easy side'Credit: Alan Crowhurst (Getty Images)

Stickels was in the stewards' room after the final race as an inquiry was opened into a dramatic moment during the Hampton Court Stakes, in which Seamie Heffernan on the leader Matchless had to take evasive action to avoid a member of the Ascot groundstaff around two furlongs into the contest.

The incident came only a year and a half after another individual working to repair the track had a narrow escape during a three-mile chase.

The racecourse, which received a £3,500 fine for that transgression, at that point amended its procedures, with groundstaff told to wait until the end of a race to be given the all-clear by their supervisor being going on to the track to tread-in.

Stickels said: "One of the treaders was very briefly on the track down at Swinley Bottom during the Hampton Court. He was close enough to the horses.

"We have procedures in place to brief staff about when they should and should not be on the track, so we'll now be talking to contractors about why this happened."

The racecourse stewards' have forwarded a report to the BHA head office.

Friday's Royal Ascot previews:

2.30 Royal Ascot: 'She's as nice a two-year-old as I've had' – key quotes for the Albany

3.05 Royal Ascot: Derby hero Adayar's conqueror Alenquer looks the one to beat based on form

3.40 Royal Ascot: 'I expect her to outrun her odds' – key quotes and analysis for the Commonwealth

4.20 Royal Ascot: another for Ireland? Coronation Stakes often slips out of home team's grasp (Members' Club)

5.00 Royal Ascot: Graeme Rodway on the importance of getting the right rider in the Sandringham

5.35 Royal Ascot: a decade of winners from stall ten or higher – will the run continue?

6.10 Royal Ascot: 'It's a bit of a fairytale' – Mo Celita bids to complete rags-to-riches tale

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