How is racing coping with the heatwave and its scorched turf?

Nearly two inches of rain fell on Goodwood’s biggest day last season. The 18-hour deluge jeopardised racing and jockeys had to negotiate a mini lake to get from the weighing room to mount their horses for the Sussex Stakes, won by 20-1 shot Here Comes When.

They could do with a dose of the same now on the course at the top of the South Downs where, like most of the British Isles, it has barely rained in more than two months.

Any grass is pretty much the same golden brown colour of the surrounding wheat and barley fields, apart from a verdant shoelace that stretches away from the Goodwood stands that will host the start of the Glorious meeting from Tuesday.