Soft ground anticipated for opening day of Festival

ALL SET: Jockeys Keith Donoghue, on Delta Work, left, and Robbie Dunne, on Hardline, lead a string of horses from trainer Gordon Elliott to the gallops ahead of the Cheltenham Racing Festival at Prestbury Park in Cheltenham, England. Pic: Seb Daly/Sportsfile

Cheltenham clerk of the course Jon Pullin expects the Festival to begin on soft ground ahead of a week which promises to bring a mix of weather to Prestbury Park.

While strong winds on Monday were helping the course to dry slightly, squally showers are forecast into Monday evening and are expected the keep the going soft on the Old course, which is used on Tuesday and Wednesday.