Cheltenham 2019 Festival Going & Weather

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archie

Senior Jockey
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Think this is worth its own thread.

Hopefully these links will be updated with the latest reports but any word from Simon Claisse would be interesting. I think he might be watering sooner rather than later but, given that last year's incidents occurred on soft ground, I wouldn't expect him to flood the place as is being suggested in some places.

Going:
http://maps.turftrax.co.uk/latestgoingreport.asp?course=Cheltenham

Weather:
https://www.metcheck.com/WEATHER/16days.asp?zipcode=Cheltenham Racecourse#
 
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Just conversed with Ben (Head Groundsman) on Twitter, as it stands no plans to do any watering, someone else who is up there also says no evidence they are doing any.
 
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I hope that's right but according to Turftrax it's predominantly good ground already and on the (admittedly un-scientific) BBC weather site there's plenty of sunshine, no rain and temperatures around the 14 degrees mark for the next two weeks, which takes us to a little over 10 days away from meeting.

I know I wouldn't be too comfortable if I was holding big ante post prices about horses like Laurina and Waiting Patiently.
 
Been up for a gander at the horses walking and trotting etc pre Tattersalls Sale tomorrow. Watering in three places, all in the middle of the course. Two definitely on the Cross Country course, hard to tell whether the third is as well or whether its near the first fence after the two and a half mile start.
 
Weather Channel's forecast up until the Sunday before The Festival

Date, weather, temperature highs and low

  • TODAY Mostly Cloudy 15C 1C
  • MON, FEB 25 Mostly Cloudy 15C 2C
  • TUE Sunny 16C 3C
  • WED Partly Cloudy 13C 6C
  • THU Showers 12C 6C
  • FRI Mostly Cloudy 12C 8C
  • SAT PM Showers 12C 7C
  • SUN Showers 11C 8C
  • MON, MAR 4 AM Showers 11C 5C
  • TUE Partly Cloudy 11C 5C
  • WED Showers 12C 5C
  • THU Few Showers 12C 6C
  • FRI Showers 12C 5C
  • SAT Showers 12C 6C
  • SUN Showers 12C 6C
 
Been out and about this morning, firstly up on Cleeve Hill looking down on the racecourse. Watering still evident on the cross country course and either side of the first fence on the 2m 4f course.

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Then down to the course itself

View attachment 1957

No watering on either the new or old course, with rain forecast from Thursday onwards they will probably wait to see how much we have I suspect.
 
Don't know what's in archie's twitter post but at the press conference [FONT=&quot]Simon Claisse clerk of the course at Cheltenham believes the course could get between 35mm and 40mm between Saturday and Monday week. He said if rain doesn’t arrive measures will be taken to make sure the meeting starts on the slow side of good. John Kettley reckons it will be soft.[/FONT]
 
The water table is so low after such a dry winter tho it’s going to take a lot more than an inch and a half of rain to change the going. It’s going to have to be watered.


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Much rain in the area now lads? Looks like you’re about to get a decent share today anyway.

It’s been bucketing down here in Ireland for the past few days. Early indications are that there’ll be plenty more rain in the forecast up to the start of the festival and that race week could be quiet cold.

Presume it’s still good ground.


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Cheltenham remained good ground on Sunday, with a GoingStick reading of 7.0.


Simon Claisse, clerk of the course, said: "We haven't had a lot of rain this weekend so far but there's plenty of rain forecast to come before next week.
"There are bits and pieces of rain right through to the end of the meeting on Friday week, but that's a long-range forecast and short-term there's plenty forecast.
"There is 3-5mm of rain forecast most days and that would be ideal to give consistent ground and produce a lovely surface.
"If the forecast is right it would be good to soft, and might end with soft in places."
The cross-country course has often ridden a shade quicker than the traditional courses but Claisse added: "When we did some watering the week before last we put more on the cross-country, which is why the ground is good on all courses."
 
Roger do you know if the course has taken any measurers to guard against the forecast high winds during the festival week. After the debacle 10/11 years ago it would be comforting to know
 
Haven't heard anything, but can ask Ben (Head Groundsman). Didn't realise we had strong winds forecast that week tbh ?
 
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