Kettley forecasts rain for Aintree

Weatherman John Kettley predicts that the ground at Aintree on John Smith’s Grand National day will have softened up and he expects the venue to see around 20 millimetres of rain before Saturday.

Kettley believes the Liverpool track could endure periods of heavy rain every day between now and the National.

The BBC man, a keen follower of racing, is regularly consulted by Aintree clerk of the course Andrew Tulloch and also helps the likes of Cheltenham’s Simon Claisse with up-to-date weather forecasts.

He told At The Races: “We have got out finger on the pulse, and there has been a sprinkle of rain this morning, although that wouldn’t make any difference. But there is worse to come.

“I think Aintree has fared very well over the last three or four days. Not much rain has hit the course, which has helped things to dry out, and it looks splendid at the moment.

“The danger period starts right this evening and I think you have got to look at various periods of pretty wet weather through tonight, and some heavy, squally showers coming in again later on Wednesday and later on Thursday.

“There is a chance of another line of heavy rain coming down off the Irish Sea on Friday night, so I think we are looking, all told, at around 20 millimetres of rain to hit the racecourse

“It has dried out in the last few days, which is great, and we are not looking at a Red Marauder season like in 2001, when there were two or three days of wet weather prior to the meeting and the ground was very heavy.

“This year, it is going to get soft, there is no question about that, and it just lengthens the list of horses you need to look at.”