Good ground expected for opening day of Cheltenham's Showcase meeting while Newbury hopeful of passing inspection

Friday's meetings at Cheltenham and Newbury could not have faced more different build-ups, with the Berkshire track needing to pass an 8am inspection due to rain while the Cotswold course has needed to water.

Cheltenham's Showcase meeting will be start on good ground with clerk of the course Jon Pullin expecting a dry two days.

Speaking on Thursday afternoon, he said: "The ground is on the easy side of good and we selectively watered yesterday and finished that off this morning.

"We put some down on the areas which had started to tighten up a little bit. We had over 200 millimetres of rain in September and nearly 80 millimetres this month, but we've been dry since Sunday.

"We might get the odd light shower in the early hours, but nothing too measurable – maybe a millimetre or two at most – and then we're dry from there through racing Friday and Saturday."

Newbury: subject to an 8am inspectionCredit: Edward Whitaker

Newbury's at-risk Friday meeting may just have had the luck they needed with clerk of the course George Hill reporting four dry days ahead of a raceday inspection. The going remains soft, heavy in places.

Hill said: "The forecast has improved from 24 hours ago and we're probably looking at two to four millimetres now, which would be fine. The rain is also coming in later but nothing significant or heavy is forecast.

"The bit of luck we needed has come as we've basically had four dry days. The track needed that and if we get a couple of millimetres now hopefully we can handle it.

"Fingers crossed the forecast doesn't change into Saturday as it's predominantly dry, but we all know forecasts are ever-changing and you can never quite trust them until you see what you get on the day.

"It looks more promising than where were two days ago, certainly."

Doncaster's two-day meeting, headlined by the William Hill Futurity Trophy on Saturday, is set to begin on soft ground after a dry spell since the weekend.

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