Inspection called for cross-country course at Cheltenham
COURSE INSPECTION:Â Delta Work won the Glenfarclas Chase (Cross Country Chase). Pic:Â
Wednesday’s Glenfarclas Chase could be moved to Friday after six millimetres of rain in the early hours of Tuesday morning left the cross-country course waterlogged in places.
Should the course fail an 8am inspection on Wednesday the plan is that the Glanfarclas Chase will be the opening contest of an eight-race programme on Gold Cup day.
Clerk of the course Jon Pullin said: “We were initially forecast, going back two or three days, to be dry today. Then 48 hours ago that forecast updated to some light showers but only around a millimetre of rainfall. Then yesterday it was updated again to two to four millimetres for this morning.
“The forecast which we got last thing yesterday then increased further and gave us some cause for concern and by 6.30am this morning we had actually had six mill, with a further 4-6 mill forecast through the morning.
“A heavier band of rain is due to arrive around 11am but it should be all over by around lunchtime. We might get an odd shower later in the afternoon but that should not be anything too measurable — the worst of this rain should finish this morning.”Â
Pullin explained that while the Old and New courses have “taken the really rain well”, the cross-country course is more of a challenge as it does not drain as well.
“We only race on the cross-country course three times a year and it hasn’t the same level of investment in drainage as the Old and New courses. That means it takes a lot longer to filter through and dry. We have called the inspection as it is waterlogged in places at the moment but tomorrow is forecast to be dry and we will do all we can to get the Glenfarclas Cross-Country Chase on as scheduled.
“We are working with the BHA on a contingency plan regarding the possibility of restaging the Glenfarclas Cross-Country Chase on Friday as the first race of the day.”
