Colin Phillips
At the Start
Again courtesy of the Racing Post :
Dry spell raises prospect
of watering
Aintree: going on the National course described officially as good to soft
by DavidCarr
GROUND conditions at Aintree dried out slightly on Monday, and a forecast of similar weather for much of the week raised the prospect of watering before the Grand National meeting gets under way on Thursday.
The going on the National course was described officially as good to soft, no longer soft in places. The Mildmay and hurdles courses at Aintree remain good to soft, good in places.
Clerk of the course Andrew Tulloch said: “We had about 1mm of rain this morning but it has generally been a dry day and it has dried out a bit. We might have to do a bit of selective watering this week - we will play it by ear and see what happens.”
The best hope of rainfall before the National for connections of horses who prefer softer ground was Monday night, according to the Met Office.
A spokeswoman said: “They will have rain tonight but not a vast quantity, 5mm or perhaps 10mm - though that might be over the top.
“I would say thereis a very small chance of a shower in the afternoon tomorrow but it will mainly be dry with sunny spells and it could potentially get quite warm - it will be breezy and it could dry the course out quite a bit.
“Wednesday will be a cloudy day with somelight rain but only 2mm at most, while Thursday will be a damp-feeling day but with just the odd spot of rain in the wind.
“We are expecting a cold front to move across the country on Friday and there will be rain, probably around lunchtime, but thereprobably won't be a great deal and it won't last for long.
“National day itself will probably be sunny but there will be a northerly breeze so the temperatures will be down.”
Dry spell raises prospect
of watering
Aintree: going on the National course described officially as good to soft
by DavidCarr
GROUND conditions at Aintree dried out slightly on Monday, and a forecast of similar weather for much of the week raised the prospect of watering before the Grand National meeting gets under way on Thursday.
The going on the National course was described officially as good to soft, no longer soft in places. The Mildmay and hurdles courses at Aintree remain good to soft, good in places.
Clerk of the course Andrew Tulloch said: “We had about 1mm of rain this morning but it has generally been a dry day and it has dried out a bit. We might have to do a bit of selective watering this week - we will play it by ear and see what happens.”
The best hope of rainfall before the National for connections of horses who prefer softer ground was Monday night, according to the Met Office.
A spokeswoman said: “They will have rain tonight but not a vast quantity, 5mm or perhaps 10mm - though that might be over the top.
“I would say thereis a very small chance of a shower in the afternoon tomorrow but it will mainly be dry with sunny spells and it could potentially get quite warm - it will be breezy and it could dry the course out quite a bit.
“Wednesday will be a cloudy day with somelight rain but only 2mm at most, while Thursday will be a damp-feeling day but with just the odd spot of rain in the wind.
“We are expecting a cold front to move across the country on Friday and there will be rain, probably around lunchtime, but thereprobably won't be a great deal and it won't last for long.
“National day itself will probably be sunny but there will be a northerly breeze so the temperatures will be down.”