Expected Weather & Ground for Cheltenham 11/03/06

[Jonesy Knows]

CHELTENHAM are expecting no more than half an inch of rain before the Festival meeting kicks off on Tuesday. The going at Prestbury Park remains unchanged as good, good to soft in places but with some colder weather due to hit the country, track officials believe they may see some snow over the next 48 hours. "John (Kettley, weatherman) is almost guaranteeing five millimetres of rain, which is about a quarter of an inch, before we start racing but probably no more than eight millimetres," said EdwardGillespie, Cheltenham's managing director. "There's a chance we might catch the bottom of the snow tonight but that will be gone by Monday morning. "It then looks like frosty-ish mornings but nothing to worry about, followed by bright, sunny days butvery little rain from the middle of the week onwards. "We are on fresh ground on Thursday and Friday, with plenty of moisture in the ground. "It is good, good to soft in places but if we don't get any rain in the next four of five hours, when Simon (Claisse, clerk of the course) goes around this afternoon he will probably call that good so we need that extra bit of rain and that will just set us up perfectly." The ground was good on the opening day of last year's Festival but Gillespie expects it to be a little easier this time. "Slow is also what that ground will be," he told Channel 4 Racing. "It has been frosty for the last few weeks and it will, I think, be slow ground and there's no question at the moment of it being described as quick - it will be good slow ground but I don't think it will be deep." (Taken from Racing Post Website) Looks like any fears for a bog at Cheltenham are now well and truely dispersed! Here's what I expect: Tuesday 14th March 2006 - Good to Soft Wednesday 15th March 2006 - Good Thursday 16th March 2006 - Good Friday 17th March 2006 - Good I'm happy now to start picking through the form and making my selections...

[Aykay1]

Re: Expected Weather & Ground for Cheltenham 11/03/06 This may be worth keeping an eye on too.......... http://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/5day.shtml?id=2027