Cheltenham runners face Good to Soft turf after late going change, Racing Post
Many horses and trainers scheduled for the opening days at Cheltenham will confront slightly quicker ground after course officials changed the going on Monday; 8: 00 a. m. ET. racing post notes that selective watering has begun on the Old Course to preserve Good to Soft, Good in places conditions for early races.
Old Course impact on early-day runners, per Jon Pullin
Horses due to run on the Old Course, which is used for the first two days of the meeting, face the most immediate effect: the track “quickened slightly” following a dry Sunday, prompting the relisting to Good to Soft, Good in places. Clerk of the course Jon Pullin said the team started selective watering of the course at a rate of 4-5mm to maintain the Good to Soft and to “improve the good” on the quicker areas.
Racing Post: watering plan, GoingStick reading and New Course status
The Old Course’s latest GoingStick reading is 6. 2; other tracks will be updated later on Monday. racing post coverage notes the New Course remains Good to Soft, Good in places, with selective watering targeted on “only the good areas. ” Pullin explained the irrigation and weather picture, saying the team finished a cycle of watering on the New Course and are taking a watching brief while forecasts show dry spells before later rain bands.
Glenfarclas Cross Country Chase ground also shifted for Wednesday
The cross country course for Wednesday’s Glenfarclas Cross Country Chase was also relisted to Good to Soft, Good in places from Good to Soft. Pullin outlined forecast timing for incoming rain: a band of rain is expected after racing on Tuesday into Wednesday, with another band moving in through Thursday afternoon and overnight into Friday, which could alter track conditions for the latter days.
Still, course staff have limited watering to targeted areas where the going had dried out more than anticipated, prioritizing consistency across the Old and New Courses ahead of racing. The selective approach — small volumes applied in specific sections — aims to balance early-day safety and competitive fairness without overwatering the whole track.
That said, the forecast sequence of dry periods and short rain windows is central to whether conditions hold: Pullin said he expects the meeting to start on either Good to Soft or Good to Soft, Good in places, depending on how the dry spell and the scheduled targeted irrigation play out.
More details expected after racing on Tuesday at the end of the day ET. If the forecast rain arrives overnight Tuesday into Wednesday as outlined, the going is expected to soften further by Wednesday morning.
