Cheltenham Festival Going

What's the latest news on this?

If Good to Soft now, with sunny days ahead, surely the only possible result on Day 1 will be GS even if it means Claisse waters?

I may have to visit Hills to see if that 8/13 is still available :whistle:
 
Even if it is warm and sunny from tomorrow I cannot imagine that they will water . The water table is so high that it will take a very long time to get anywhere near good to firm .

I suspect it will be soft side of good the first two days and then perfect good ground on the Thurs and Fri .
 
Yet the going stick is given as 5.8 and last year he called it soft with a going stick of 6.0. Hopefully a touch of frost over the weekend will keep some juice in the ground.
 
Looks like it will be significantly cooler Monday and Tuesday which may slow down the drying out process.
 
Henderson and Nicholls: leave the ground as it is

BY JON LEES 7:42PM 8 MAR 2014

NICKY HENDERSON and Paul Nicholls have issued a plea to Cheltenham's clerk of the course Simon Claisse not to water the track for the four biggest days in the jump racing calendar.

Drying conditions have raised the possibility that the track may need to be watered to prevent the ground becoming too quick, particularly on the New course which is being used on Thursday and Friday.

The two top trainers were speaking at a forum after racing at Sandown on Saturday but by then Claisse had already moved to allay similar fears expressed by another trainer, Keith Reveley.

Henderson said: "I do sincerely hope they don't water, it would be a tragedy. You have got to let nature take its course. If nature says it's good ground, let them run on good ground and let the good-ground horses get their opportunity.

"Why should the good- ground horses be penalised just because they want to slow it down? It's wrong."

Nicholls told the forum of a lengthy discussion with Claisse on Friday night. He said: "I spoke to Simon at length and I know he is worried it might dry up.

"Simon's concern is the track might get quicker by Thursday and Friday and whether he should water this weekend to make sure it doesn't. It's a gamble to take and it has been so wet."

The ground was altered slightly to good to soft after another drying day at Cheltenham on Saturday.

Claisse removed soft in places from the going description and said: "We'll monitor the situation on the New course depending on the rate at which that course dries out.

"I said to several trainers yesterday that our record of doing what we need to do to ensure safe ground over the years has been pretty good."

The going on the cross-country course was given on Saturday as good to soft, soft in places.
 
Is there a worry that 'good' becomes 'firm' very quickly at Cheltenham? And that isn't the 'safe' ground that Claisse wants. Championship horses running at championship pace has led to fatalities at previous meetings. We don't need any that at our favourite meeting of the season.
 
reet hard said:
Set fair for a festival run on unadulterated ground. YEE-AAH!
Click to expand...

I'd be really happy with the ground we had a few years ago when the soft ground horses were all winning but the times were lightning quick because of springiness in the surface.
 
Much as I think Claisse is a fantoosh of gigantic proportions, he should be afforded the latitude to do whetever he wants with the track, without interference/pressure from trainers.

Lunatics on Internet forums - yes. But not trainers. :nono:
 
Claisse was on yesterday he referenced a few years back when it was heavy going into the meet and by Friday it good fast. Practically said he would have to water the new course but would do so during the meet.
 
Back
Top