CHELTENHAM clerk of the course Simon Claisse reported the ground to be good on all five tracks as of yesterday afternoon.

Claisse reported that selective watering had begun at the track last Thursday week but said yesterday that there may be no need with an unsettled forecast starting today.

“If the weather forecast does as it says, we wouldn’t need to water at all and would end up with good to soft ground,” he said.

“We’re obviously monitoring it and if the rains don’t come we will do whatever is necessary to start the meeting on slow good ground.”

Cheltenham also revealed this week that there will now be a solid replacement rail put in place instead of the tape previously used to stop runners on the chase course veering left on to another circuit.

Extra groundstaff have been brought in to put the rail in place, which will take approximately 30 seconds to do. Bringing in the rail is a response to two separate incidents that One For Billy and the Eugene O’Sullivan-trained Oighear Dubh try to duck out when in with winning chances at Cheltenham’s first meeting of the season in October.

Claisse said: “We can do no more now. It is up to the jockey to take into account the rail. Hopefully, it should help.”