05.04.11 - THE GRAND NATIONAL

Going Update on Tuesday

GOING CHANGED TUESDAY AFTERNOON

The going has changed late this afternoon to:

Mildmay & Hurdle Courses - Good to Soft, good in places (from good, good to soft in places)

Grand National Courses - Good to Soft (from good to soft, good in places)

after a total of four millimetres of rain overnight and early this morning.

It has been dry but overcast since then but the courses have not dried out as much as Andrew Tulloch, Clerk of the Course & Director of Racing expected.

He said: “The rain and cloud cover today have meant the ground on all the courses is a bit softer than I expected.

“It is lovely ground and I could not be more happy at this stage and the meeting will start on Thursday with ground on the easy side of good.
     
“We will monitor the ground conditions during the meeting and can water overnight if necessary.”

There will be fresh ground on the Mildmay & Hurdle courses each day of the John Smith’s Grand National meeting. The rail will be moved in after racing on both Thursday and Friday to give about four yards of fresh ground on the inside the following day.

The forecast is:
Wednesday - dry, cloudy with some sunny spells, possible drizzle during the morning, 16C
Thursday - dry and cloudy with sunny spells, 10C
Friday - cloudy morning, becoming brighter in the afternoon, 13C
Saturday - dry and cloudy with sunny spells, 16C