Cheltenham Going Update Suggests Faster Ground Than Expected
2 minutes Ground conditions could play a decisive role in the opening stages of the Cheltenham Festival after officials updated the going on the eve of the meeting — with data suggesting the surface may ride quicker than the official description.
At Cheltenham Racecourse, the going was changed on Monday morning to good to soft, good in places (from good to soft) following a dry Sunday which caused the track to dry faster than anticipated. In response, selective watering of around 4–5mm began to help maintain conditions ahead of the opening day.
Clerk of the course Jon Pullin said:
"We dried up a little bit more than anticipated yesterday, so we're good to soft, good in places and we're doing a little bit of selective watering today to maintain the good to soft and improve the good.
"The forecast is dry now through until after racing tomorrow. I'd imagine we'll start tomorrow on either good to soft or good to soft, good in places."
The Old Course, which hosts racing on the first two days of the Festival, has seen the most change following the dry spell. Meanwhile, the New Course, which will be used later in the week, remains good to soft, good in places, with watering taking place only on the quicker sections of the track.
Pullin also outlined the weather outlook for the remainder of the week:"There's a little bit of rain coming in after racing on Tuesday into Wednesday, then it's dry during Wednesday day and overnight into Thursday. It's dry during much of the day on Thursday with a band of rain moving in through the afternoon and continuing through the night into Friday."
The going on the cross-country track has also been adjusted to good to soft, good in places ahead of Wednesday’s Glenfarclas Cross Country Chase.
Despite the official going description, analysis of the latest GoingStick reading suggests the surface could ride closer to good ground — something that could significantly impact race performances and betting strategies throughout the week.
The current GoingStick reading of 6.2 on the Old Course typically aligns with good ground, good to soft in places, according to ground modelling that compares readings with official descriptions. That puts conditions on the cusp of genuinely good ground.
Recent history shows how influential this can be. When the Festival started on similarly quick readings — including 6.3 in 2022 — the ground was officially called good and two course records were broken.
While Monday’s watering may slightly ease conditions, early indicators suggest the 2026 Cheltenham Festival could begin on faster-than-usual ground, a factor likely to influence both race tactics and results as the week unfolds.
