'Selective watering' begins at Cheltenham

Selective watering has been employed on Cheltenham's New Course, which will be used for the second half of next week's four-day Festival.

Although rain is expected within the next couple of days, it is virtually a dry forecast for the following nine to 10 days.

"We are doing some selective watering today of between five to six millimetres on the New Course" confirmed clerk of the course Simon Claisse on Monday.

"The quantities of rainfall we are forecast for Tuesday and Wednesday have perhaps come down a little.

"They were saying 12mm to 16mm yesterday, now they are talking more like 10mm to 14mm.

"The watering is only on the New Course and only in places.

"If we were racing yesterday or today, the ground would be ideal."

The going on the chase and hurdle tracks on the Old and New Courses is good, good to soft in places.

The cross country course is good to soft, soft in places.