Cheltenham will deploy frost covers to save lots of the weak areas of its horse-racing tracks as temperatures hit sub-zero ranges.
The mercury dropped to -2C within the early hours on Wednesday forward of day two of the Cheltenham Festival, prompting the clerk of the course to take measures to guard the take-offs and landings across the obstacles, reported Racing Post.
“I’m very happy with the way things have gone, it’s been a nice, drying day. The forecasts are still suggesting we’re going to dip below 0C for a period tonight, possibly down to -2C, so we’ll probably cover take-offs and landings,” mentioned Jon Pullin, the clerk of the course.
“The forecast is to stay dry for much of Wednesday and this band of rain coming in might just catch the last race or two. It won’t be too much volume-wise, possibly 2-4mm. Thursday and Friday both look showery,” he instructed the Racing Post.
The Cheltenham Festival started on Tuesday (14 March) and can go on until Friday (17 March).
The horse racing competitors has been marred by the tragic passing of horses after falls in competitors.
According to long-standing animal rights group Animal Aid, no less than one horse has died yearly that the Festival has been held since 2000.
The organisation’s knowledge exhibits a complete of 73 horses have died after working on the occasion within the final 23 years.
The British Horseracing Authority (BHA) revealed 17 suggestions designed to enhance the security and welfare of horses and riders in National Hunt racing after a overview of the pageant in 2018.
The suggestions included elevated pre-race veterinary checks on runners and a discount within the security restrict for two-mile chases from 24 to twenty.
