Cheltenham set to water and Old Park Star's new target

Cheltenham will water on Saturday night after a spate of non-runners decimated the first two days of action at Prestbury Park.

With freezing temperatures overnight, ground staff were unable to irrigate ahead of the second day of the November meeting, with headline names such as Old Park Star and Kabral Du Mathan among those sitting out Saturday’s action.

However, the course will attempt to ease the going from good, good to firm in places due to a rise in temperatures heading into the final day of the meeting.

Clerk of the course Jon Pullin said: “Temperatures are forecast to be up around 4C and 5C tonight so as soon as we’ve got the last race out of the way we will be looking to start the irrigation.

“We’ll be doing all we can to pull back the ground and there’s a few showers around in the morning, albeit nothing too measurable volume wise, but we will be watering on Saturday night.”

Prior to racing over 20 horses had been pulled out but Pullin was content his team could not have done much more.

He added: “It’s a shame about the non-runners and nobody is more disappointed than us to see them but they are all for the right reasons so we don’t blame anything for that.

“We’ve just had a set of circumstances that have left us in this position. We got down to -4C last night and it just ruled out any chance of irrigating.”

He went on: “When we finished irrigating on Thursday afternoon ahead of Thursday night’s frost we were comfortable there was enough moisture in the ground.

“We were hopeful that would hold for yesterday and today because we knew realistically we couldn’t get anymore water on due to the frost.

“As it transpired we had a sharper frost than forecast and that sharpened it up on Thursday into Friday and the same last night so we’ve gone good, good to firm in places but the majority is good.

“With irrigation and the little rain we have had between the Showcase (October) meeting and this one we have put 400mm on but we’ve only had 16mm of rain.”

Old Park Star heading to Ffos Las

Nicky Henderson was one of the trainers who withdrew one of the day’s leading lights and echoed the course’s frustration as he stated not only his intention to divert his Supreme Novices’ Hurdle winner Old Park Star to Ffos Las on Wednesday, but also sounded a warning about conditions at Ascot next weekend.

He said: “Old Park Star will be going to Ffos Las unless something goes wrong there – we just don’t know at the minute.

“It’s been a shame what’s happened this weekend, it’s frustrating and driving everyone mad. It’s testing everyone’s patience and resolve and I feel desperately for them here at Cheltenham as they have done nothing wrong at all.

“We simply can’t beat the elements. It’s a little worrying and Ascot has been given as good to firm already for next weekend. There’s a bit of rain around I think next week but we’re just going to have to keep our eye on things.”