Claisse: watering hasn't even entered my mind despite quickening conditions

Cheltenham clerk of the course Simon Claisse believes that watering will not take place on either track despite changing the ground conditions to good to soft, soft in places following the first day of the festival, with a dry forecast for the rest of the meeting.

Racing began on ground described as soft, good to soft in places following rain on Sunday, but a sunny day with temperatures of 13C and a strong wind helped the track to dry out throughout racing, with the official going description changed to its current status at 4pm on Tuesday.

The outlook is for a dry week ahead but Claisse has said the prospect of watering has not entered the equation for the next three days, despite the lack of rainfall expected and quickening conditions.

He said: "It's just dried out a bit throughout the afternoon. It's a tailwind they've got with them today. I don't think the times have necessarily got quicker but the change is also an indication of where we'll be in the morning.

"It's undoubtedly quickened up a little. Watering hasn't even entered my mind. It's looking like it'll stay dry this week."

Jockey Jack Kennedy, speaking after his victory on Black Tears in the Mares' Hurdle, echoed the views of Claisse and described the ground as "dead".

He said: "I find it riding dead and it's going to be drying out all the time with that breeze."

'That was Vautour-like' – Mullins in awe as Appreciate It roars to 24-length win

First race suggested quicker conditions would come

Appreciate It won the opening race of the 2021 Cheltenham Festival, the Supreme Novices' Hurdle, in a time that suggested slightly quicker ground than expected would be in store for the first day.

Willie Mullins' red-hot favourite came out on top in an unofficial time taken by the Racing Post of 3min 58.04sec.

A time of more than four minutes is normally more indicative of soft ground according to the Racing Post's Topspeed expert Dave Edwards, although winning jockey Paul Townend felt it was "on the slow side".

Racing TV also reported the ground to be on the slow side of good to soft, which was a surprise to winning trainer Willie Mullins when told the winning time.

Supreme Novices' Hurdle: full result and race replay

He said: "Wow, when I walked the course on Saturday I said this ground would be very good, but I couldn't get over how much rain had fallen on Sunday and how the track felt.

"Obviously with this weather, it's drying out by the minute."

The Old course record for the 2m½f trip is held by Annie Power, who recorded a time of 3min 45.10sec in the 2016 Champion Hurdle on ground that was officially described as good to soft.

What the Supreme time means

Going descriptions are a subjective matter. Ask half a dozen people their opinion of the going and you will probably get three different answers. However, while race times are not everybody's cup of tea there is no denying they can provide an impartial assessment of ground conditions, assuming that a race is truly run and there is not a gale force wind complicating matters.

Races are timed from when the first horse passes the starter and the Racing Post standard time for the Sky Bet Supreme Novices' Hurdle is 3min 51sec. As a rule of thumb, a time under 3min 54sec is indicative of good ground; a time of over four minutes suggests soft. Anything in between implies good to soft.
Dave Edwards, Topspeed

Read more from Cheltenham Festival Tuesday:

No more Cheltenham for Goshen after nightmare run in Champion Hurdle

Wonder women! Rachael Blackmore left speechless as Honeysuckle powers home

Sprinter Sacre, Altior, Shishkin? Super Arkle winner 5-2 for 2022 Champion Chase

'That was Vautour-like' – Mullins in awe as Appreciate It roars to 24-length win

Gallant grey Vintage Clouds rolls back the years to land Ultima at fifth attempt

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