Weather Watch 2025

[Irish Rugby]

And all this makes it pretty certain we won't see any artificial watering. That's good if so.

Haven't seen any further interviewing of the Clerk but I may have missed him.

[Istabraq]

And all this makes it pretty certain we won't see any artificial watering. That's good if so.

Haven't seen any further interviewing of the Clerk but I may have missed him.

I think there's some rain due during Friday, if that disappears from the forecast it wouldn't be impossible they put a splash down Thur night.
As crazy as that sounds the New Course is always quicker, they use fresh ground not used all year in part and if they get the lower end of the rain forecast on Sunday it could get fairly quick on Friday...

[Imperial Commander]

https://www.thejockeyclub.co.uk/cheltenham/owners-and-trainers/the-going/

Some Good to Soft has appeared on the Jockey Club/Turftrax picture!

But there is plenty of rain forecast for tomorrow and Soft at the start of Tuesday is still around 1-2!

[Dandrew99]

https://www.thejockeyclub.co.uk/chel...ers/the-going/

And still no update on the going. They must spending Fridays working from home.

Got to go with local advice. Assume Friday was another dry day?

And what is it like this morning, no rain as yet?

Many thanks, locals. Or near locals.

It was wet when I woke up this morning so assume we got some showers overnight, but only light. Dry this morning, meant to be some showers this evening/overnight

[RoadToCheltenham]

Racing on Cheltenham

(Updated: 07:38, 9th Mar)

Tue 12 Mar

Going/Track:

Good to Soft, Soft (in places)

[Bayoffreedom]

Going now soft after 7mm overnight. Another 3mm to come. Higher than the 5-8mm range they forecast yesterday. The Going Stick was 5.6 at 12.30pm yesterday

From BHA Website:

7mm overnight into Sunday. Further showers possible later in the
day on Sunday (3mm). Some drizzle possible on Monday and a
50-60% chance of some light showers on Tuesday (1mm)

[Always a Claimer]

I live just outside of Cirencester, not far from Cheltenham, and it’s been a nice day here. Mild with one light shower - another drying day so far. But a fair dumping overnight to be fair. Watching the football (Aston Villa v Spurs) it is hammering down in Birmingham, plenty of splashes on the pitch. Just shows how a few miles can make all the difference - hopefully the heavy rain stays just north of us.

[Eggs]

I live just outside of Cirencester, not far from Cheltenham, and it’s been a nice day here. Mild with one light shower - another drying day so far. But a fair dumping overnight to be fair. Watching the football (Aston Villa v Spurs) it is hammering down in Birmingham, plenty of splashes on the pitch. Just shows how a few miles can make all the difference - hopefully the heavy rain stays just north of us.

….as an aside, Villa Park another of the grounds I’ve played on but sadly I never scored there

Appreciate the weather update.

[Dandrew99]

Mostly dry but we have had a few heavy showers, would be surprised if the ground isn't soft all over now

[Odin]

For tracking purposes if I remember to update:

Tuesday 5th March 1430: Old 3.6, New 4.0, XC 2.9
Thursday 7th March 0900: Old 4.6, New 4.9
Friday 8th March 1530: XC 4.4
Saturday 9th March 1230: Old 5.6, New 5.7

These numbers obviously out of date, but it's literally drying at 1 point on the going stick every 2 days. Thursday/Friday almost certain to have good in the description and may even need watering depending on how hard the rain has hit yesterday/today.

[Irish Rugby]

These numbers obviously out of date, but it's literally drying at 1 point on the going stick every 2 days. Thursday/Friday almost certain to have good in the description and may even need watering depending on how hard the rain has hit yesterday/today.

Thanks Odin, been really interesting to this slant on things. Getting evermore confident on Banbridge turning up now.

[Dandrew99]

These numbers obviously out of date, but it's literally drying at 1 point on the going stick every 2 days. Thursday/Friday almost certain to have good in the description and may even need watering depending on how hard the rain has hit yesterday/today.

There's been a fair bit today mate. Not constant but some very heavy showers, I suspect it'll be closer to 5 on the going stick as a guess.

[Odin]

There's been a fair bit today mate. Not constant but some very heavy showers, I suspect it'll be closer to 5 on the going stick as a guess.

Even at 5.0, with two days of recovery it could drain to 6.0, which by going stick ratings is fast for Cheltenham in March.

The key question which none of this can answer is how the ground rides/churns up given it's so close to so much rain. If there's none of note between now and Thursday, it feels like it could be like having two different festivals with the good ground horses properly benefiting from the latter days of the festival, but soft side of good ground lovers benefiting from the first two days.

EDIT: For those interested, the soggy Wednesday from a few years ago "only" resulted in a 1 unit difference in the going stick for the new course, despite being the wettest day I've ever seen, let alone been caught up in - showing how well the course can take the rain. Fully expect that it will be hard work though

[Dandrew99]

Even at 5.0, with two days of recovery it could drain to 6.0, which by going stick ratings is fast for Cheltenham in March.

The key question which none of this can answer is how the ground rides/churns up given it's so close to so much rain. If there's none of note between now and Thursday, it feels like it could be like having two different festivals with the good ground horses properly benefiting from the latter days of the festival, but soft side of good ground lovers benefiting from the first two days.

EDIT: For those interested, the soggy Wednesday from a few years ago "only" resulted in a 1 unit difference in the going stick for the new course, despite being the wettest day I've ever seen, let alone been caught up in - showing how well the course can take the rain. Fully expect that it will be hard work though

Rain is meant to continue until the early hours of this morning, relatively dry tomorrow then a few hours of rain again Tuesday morning.

Big difference is the water table, suspect it's a lot higher than it was on that Wednesday, so should dry out slower. Far from a geography expert so this is just my best guess.

[Odin]

Rain is meant to continue until the early hours of this morning, relatively dry tomorrow then a few hours of rain again Tuesday morning.

Big difference is the water table, suspect it's a lot higher than it was on that Wednesday, so should dry out slower. Far from a geography expert so this is just my best guess.

Yup, also no expert - just like finding patterns in numbers which provide a vast simplification of the process giving an objective start point before the context you've added there can be considered

Would be much easier if the GoingStick readings were available every day though like they used to be in the lead up to big meetings. Almost like the introduction of these weather stations has made the clerk's think they don't need to be as transparent in the lead up to the big day...