Newbury fires quick ground warning for next Saturday's Betfair Hurdle card

Winter watering restrictions could result in Newbury's high-profile Betfair Hurdle meeting next week being staged on ground featuring the word firm, course officials warned on Friday when they sought to alert trainers about the unprecedented conditions.

Clerk of the course Keith Ottesen described the going at the Berkshire venue as good on Friday morning when emails were sent to trainers detailing the outlook for the forthcoming days.

That communication also contained information about upgrades to Newbury's watering capability, but a forecast frost is also a concern to Ottesen, who did not shy away from admitting the words good to firm could appear in the official going description on Saturday week.