Watering for good/good to soft at Cheltenham

Cheltenham officials still hope to start the Festival with ground on the slow side of good with watering taking place over the next three days.

The surface at Prestbury Park is current good, good to firm in places on the Chase and Hurdle courses and good to firm, good in places on the Cross Country track.

Simon Claisse, Director of Racing and Clerk of the Course at Cheltenham, said on Wednesday afternoon: "We are watering the Old and New Courses over the next three days, so that will take us up to Friday afternoon.

"Hopefully, we will have been able to water the 'good to firm' out of the ground. Then we will assess the ground and take a look at the forecast again, but my hunch is we will be watering at the weekend so we can start the meeting on the slow side of good, or good to soft."