It's getting better - Cheltenham clerk expects slow improvement in ground

After an extraordinarily wet winter, ground conditions could be set to get drier at Cheltenham just in time for the festival.

The track has had 75 per cent more rainfall than normal since mid-September and the going has been officially soft or heavy since the Saturday of the Showcase meeting in October.

But clerk of the course Simon Claisse revealed on Sunday: "The outlook for the week is less unsettled than we were expecting.

"We're not saying there will be no rain but it wouldn't surprise me if we had good to soft in the ground description towards the end of the coming week based on the current forecast. That would be the first time since back in October."

The slightly drier weather may continue until the start of the festival a week on Tuesday.

Claisse said: "The reliability of forecasts diminishes the longer ahead we are looking but the indications at the moment are that it could continue to be less unsettled so there could be a slow improvement on what we are currently calling the ground."

Conditions currently remain on the slow side as Claisse said: "We've had 13mm or 14mm of rain since Wednesday and we remain soft on the Old and New courses, soft, heavy in places on the cross-country course."

Met Office weatherman Marco Petagna offered yet more hope for a dry couple of days.

He said: "Cheltenham will largely miss the rain next week and into the festival there is a strong signal for more settled weather through the middle of the month.

"There is a chance of some light showers on Monday but Tuesday and Wednesday should be dry before a bigger risk of light showers on Thursday and Friday."

He added: "It looks like it will be south of the M4 which will get most of the rain in the bands coming through this week. Cheltenham will get nothing substantial and there will be windy spells and chances of some light frosts but by day the temperatures will be picking up from a chilly 8-9C on Monday."

Bookmakers also believe the going is set to stay similar. In the market on the official going for the start of the festival, soft is favourite at a best-priced 4-6 with good to soft available at 13-8, heavy 7-1 and good 50-1.

Cheltenham opening day card and betting

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