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Weather Watch 2026

Ground now good to soft (good in places) 4-5mm watering in progress
 
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No rain yesterday. Cloudy start to the day - negligible rain expected today. Old course is good to soft, good in places. Selective watering is taking place now with 4-5mm being added.

Monday 16th - <1mm
Tuesday 17th - 0mm
Wednesday 18th - 34mm
Thursday 19th - 0mm
Friday 20th - 4mm
Saturday 21st - 1mm
Sunday 22nd - 0mm
Monday 23rd - <1mm
Tuesday 24th - 0mm
Wednesday 25th - 0mm
Thursday 26th - 6mm
Friday 27th - 10mm
Saturday 28th - <1mm
Sunday 1st - 0mm
Monday 2nd - 0mm
Tuesday 3rd - 0mm
Wednesday 4th - 0mm
Thursday 5th - <1mm
Friday 6th - 0mm
Saturday 7th - 1-2mm
Sunday 8th - 0mm
 
Just got back from a walk round the course. The watering that is going on at the moment is on the back straight between the 2nd and 3rd hurdles and 3rd and 4th fences in the back straight. As you would expect given the rain we have had in the early part of the year there is a really good covering of grass.
 
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How does it feel to you though? You must have dug those heels in!
 
Dont think it will be heavy, but do think a bit of rain will quickly get into the ground and turn it soft
especially if it's been watered, and already good as it kinda sits on top
 
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How does it feel to you though? You must have dug those heels in!
It feels how they describe it to be honest - good to soft, maybe tending towards good. With the good grass covering I would say that all horses would go on it fine but any that need softer ground to slow others down may be inconvenienced - by that I mean horses who can keep up a relentless gallop but don't necessarily have a turn of foot like perhaps Sober Glory in the Supreme or No Drama This End who would stay further and may find something too quick at the trip.

The times for the Supreme in the past few years together with official going (and Timeform going in brackets where different) are below. Looking at past times my guess (and its only a guess!) is that they will be just under 3m 50secs.

2025 G/S Kopek Des Bordes 3m 52.04
2024 Sft Slade Steel 4m 12.87 (Timeform - Soft)
2023 Sft Marine Nationale 3m 59.69
2022 G/S Constitution Hill 3m 44.35 (Timeform - Good)
2021 Sft Appreciate It 3m 56.32 (Timeform - G/S)
2020 Sft Shishkin 4m 8.20
2019 Sft Klassical Dream 3m 59.56
2018 Hvy Summerville Boy 4m 5.00 (Timeform - Soft)
2017 G/S Labaik 3m 53.20 (Timeform - Good)
2016 G/S Altior 3m 46.00 (Timeform - Good)
2015 G/S Douvan 3m 47.5 (Timeform - Good)
2014 G/S Vautour 3m 46.4 (Timeform - G/F)
 
That's shocking.
 
At the moment we're Good-to-Soft, Good in places but by the end of the day the Good may have disappeared with the irrigating that we're doing, we'll see."

The final hurdles on both the New and Old Courses will not be sited in their traditional places this season and Pullin went on to explain the change and the reasons for moving them.

"The hurdles are in their normal position throughout the season but not their normal Festival position. Historically they have moved beyond the last fence at The Festival but through this winter we've been very wet and there's been an area of ground turning away from the stands that has sat wetter than we would have liked.

"In having the hurdles in their normal Festival position it made it difficult to get a nice racing line through and avoid that area. By putting them back in their normal position, it's enabled us to create a nice running line through that area."
 
A tiny shower late last night but no appreciable rain. Cloudy start to day but sun in trying to peek through. Selective watering yesterday to maintain g/s ground on old course. The XC course has dried to mainly good.

Monday 16th - <1mm
Tuesday 17th - 0mm
Wednesday 18th - 34mm
Thursday 19th - 0mm
Friday 20th - 4mm
Saturday 21st - 1mm
Sunday 22nd - 0mm
Monday 23rd - <1mm
Tuesday 24th - 0mm
Wednesday 25th - 0mm
Thursday 26th - 6mm
Friday 27th - 10mm
Saturday 28th - <1mm
Sunday 1st - 0mm
Monday 2nd - 0mm
Tuesday 3rd - 0mm
Wednesday 4th - 0mm
Thursday 5th - <1mm
Friday 6th - 0mm
Saturday 7th - 1-2mm
Sunday 8th - 0mm
Monday 9th - <1mm
 
….Jon Pullin on ITVs morning programme, says Good to Soft. Course in good shape.
 
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Any fancies for the Friday if the rain tips down?
 
Times according to guy on racing tv was good yesterday.

Next to no rain so the ground is going to be good at worst today……they just ‘can’t’ say good.
 
Officially ‘good’ ground now according to the Clerk. Which is what we all knew from day 1…
 
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