Dry week forecast as Aintree continues to water

Watering will continue at Aintree as a warm and dry week leads into the Grand National meeting.

The going at the track is currently good, good to soft in places on the Mildmay hurdle and chase tracks, with the Grand National course described as good to soft at present.

It has been a dry early spring so far, with 17.5 millimetres of rain falling throughout March and ground staff therefore starting to water from the week commencing March 17.

That watering will continue as there is presently no rain forecast either before or during the meeting, with a relatively warm week due before three mild spring days from Thursday to Saturday.

“The Grand National course remains good to soft, and the Mildmay course, both chase and hurdle, is good, good to soft in places,” said Jon Pullin, acting clerk of the course at Aintree.

“It has continued to be dry and the forecast is dry right the way through racing, temperatures are due to lift a couple of degrees over the next two or three days.

“We could see temperatures as high as 18 degrees, but then it does drop back down to about 15 degrees on Saturday itself.

“Given the forecast – there’s no sign of any sort of rain – we will continue to water to maintain the going and improve it if necessary.

“Watering commenced on the week of the 17th and we’ve continued as necessary from then on.

“The forecast at the moment looks very settled and bright, there is plenty of sunshine across all three days so it should be great weather for all racegoers.”