Simon's Blog
Read the latest thoughts of Simon Claisse, our Director of Racing and Clerk of the Course, as The Festival draws ever nearer.
13th March 2010 - 3 days to go
A nice end to last week with a meal with a few friends on Saturday evening, including Buffy Shirley Beavan (vet to the stars), who is almost as nervous as me as we approach the big week as she looks after the Nicholls and Henderson horses. An early night for all, including Nigel Twiston-Davies, who was off to Ireland on Sunday to join Philip Hobbs at the Dunraven Arms for a Festival Preview night. I also appeared at that event, but only on the phone, giving an update on going and course preparations. There was also much talk about Cheltenham the song being released. Please download it and help the charities if you haven't already.
As the course had dried out last weekend to good, good to soft in places on the Old Course (which we use on Tuesday and Wednesday) and the New (Thursday and Friday) and the forecast remained dry, we took the decision on Monday to water both course to prevent the going becoming good, good to firm in places. With cold mornings (including a brisk -8 on Monday!), the cycle took 3 days finishing on Wednesday evening having applied 6 to 10 mm of water, with more on the quicker parts of the course.
I had plenty of calls from trainers, especially in Ireland, asking me to be cautious with watering. I understand their apprehension as conditions through the winter have been very testing everywhere, but this place does dry fast and in 2007 we went from soft/heavy the week before to good by Gold Cup day. The nights have remained cold, with -5 and -6 in the week after Monday, which is really too cold for any meaningful grass growth, and my prediction last week that the daffodils on the roundabout would be out by Festival week now looks premature. Our watering policy, to start the meeting on the soft side of good, has been established for 9 years and is fully endorsed by the BHA, whose Senior Inspector was here on Friday. Our job is to minimise manageable risk, and the surface is safer for horses and riders if the going is easy side of good or slower. No consideration is given to any particular horse or trainer and we cannot take the risk that the ground dries out too fast and poses a bigger risk to participants. If we do run the risk of the ground being slower than ideal that's a chance we are willing to take.
With the forecast showing very little rain again during race week and temperatures getting up to 12 degrees, we may water the New course again before the meeting starts. Although we have, in the past, watered overnight during the meeting, the time frame is very tight if we encounter any problems (and frost would also hinder us, although none is forecast at present). That decision will be taken Sunday morning.
I walked entire site Tuesday, 6 miles in total (2 chase, 2 hurdle and one cros country course) plus all other areas including car parks and ended up with a 4 page snagging list - all the finishing touches that help make the place look so special, including things like refilling the Best Mate statue hay net as well as mowing the winning line and topping up the sand in the horse rolling pit.
Wednesday saw some horses schooling on the Cross Country course, including Cornish Sett (Paul Nicholls), Monkerhostin, Oceanos des Obeaux and lacdoudal (Philip Hobbs) and Mister Quasimodo (Colin Tizzard) given a lead by retired NH jockey Chris Maude (now master valet) on the ex Twiston-Davies trained Newton Point. A good session with some spectacular leaps. The first arrival at the racecourse stables for The Festival was Raise Your Heart (trained by Joanna Morgan), sporting a nice tan, having come straight from Dubai where he ran three times. Also on Wednesday David Pipe had a walk round, was sympathetic to our lack of grass growth but happy with underfoot conditions.
On Thursday full site security began and I had a day largely taken up with final planning and security briefing meetings, including our annual Emergency Scenario workshop with key racecourse staff, agency staff and the emergency services. This gives us the chance to rehearse our reaction to various incidents, should they occur.
On Friday, in addition to more course inspections, I met our neighbouring farmer to confirm arrangements for stabling any horses we might need to house off site, met Candy Hinks (our parade ring safety officer) to rehearse arrangements for horse and people safety in the pre-parade ring, parade ring, winners enclosure and unsaddling enclosure.
Sat morning saw me on the Channel 4 Morning Line live, with an update on ground conditions. My hard working assistant Victoria arrived slightly bemused having despatched her two boys to a rally on their ponies a day early! It must be the stress of spending the week looking after the needs of some 1000 plus owners and trainers in terms of badges and car passes for next week.
Sunday's highlight will be the arrival of the Willie Mullins team, numbering 20 or more.
Our job now is to the finishing touches to the place, then slip into the background and let the horses, jockeys, owners and trainers entertain us all. Enjoy a great week of sport.
5th March 2010 - 11 days to go
I walked the course last Sunday and was encouraged by the grass beginning to show some signs of growth after 18mm of rain over the week. Having missed most of the rain that fell further south, Kempton and Wincanton had 80mm in the same period. At that stage our ground was predominantly soft, good to soft in places with a little heavy on the cross country.
Went to Nicky Henderson's for our press day there on Monday. Long Run is as good looking a horse as you'll see, so I suggested to his owner (and Chelteham Director) Robert Waley Cohen that I'd happily give him a home when he retires. I'm still waiting to hear Nicky's string looked in great shape, especially Punchestowns, Barbers Shop and Riverside Theatre. The master trainer also mentioned to the media that he'd corner me with boxing gloves if I think of watering the course, so I guess he's hoping for good ground!
Plenty cold enough overnight on Tuesday, with temperatures down to -5.5C. Openide of Brendan Duke's schools well over the cross country fences. Had our pre inspection meeting with BHA Senior Inspector of Courses Richard Linley and everything seemed to meet with his approval. In the late afternoon it was off to London, with Edward, Andy Clifton and Venetia Williams for a dinner with Sports Editors to discuss Jump racing. Lord Vestey and Paul Nicholls joined us too, for an enjoyable and stimulating evening, but it was a late night by the time we all got home. During the journey down there I spoke to Graham Wylie about the ground. Howard Johnson doesn't want us to water, but I explained our well known policy to start on ground on the soft side of good for Tuesday.
Wednesday was our big press day, which for me means updating the media about on-course preparations, ground conditions, weather forecasts and entries. Did 7 tv and radio interviews. Walked the course with Paul Nicholls and Nicky Henderson who were both very pleased with conditions considering the cold winter we've had. On Thursday, the liquid feed went on the course, Donald McCain schooled Idle Talk on the crosscountry course with Brian Harding riding and we also had the latest in a series of planning meetings with the manasgement team here.
A chilly start to Friday, having reached a low of -6.7 overnight. The going is now good to soft, soft in places on all tracks, with no sign of any rain next for the next eight days. 'Good' is expected in going descriptions in the early part of next week and at some point we may have to consider watering. Preparations over the last 7 days have gone well, with nearly all track work done. We're now moving on to car parks, service roads, horsewalks, canter downs, painting and so on as the final countdown gathers pace.
28th February 2010 - 16 days to go
Had our medical meeting at the end of last week with senior medical officers, Great Western Ambulance Service and St John to run thorugh all the arrangements for injuries or illness to jockeys and the public. Our teams consists of nine docs, including specialist orthopaedic surgeons, trauma experts, and a consultant anaesthetist, plus 8 ambulances, and 34 paramedics and first aid staff; we also work closely with Cheltenham General Hospital and keep them abreast of any likely admissions.
Some great action on Saturday at Kempton - great to see Punjabi back in top form as he looks to defend his Champion Hurdle crown and good to see everyone working together at the BHA, Levy Board and Jockey Club Racecourses to see that race being re-planned after the disappointment of losing Wincanton last weekend. Talking of which, weren't those two wonderful performances by the brace of greys, Monet's Garden at Ascot and Silver By Nature at Haydock?
We had a wet few days forecast, but it ended up not as bad as it could have been, and certainly a long way from some of the top end forecasts in terms of rainfall. The ground has taken the recent rain very well, although we haven't had anything like the downpours that had affected courses such as Kempton. We managed to get on with the fertilising, aerating and rolling this week, which has all gone well, although another covering of snow on Tuesday morning have us a few more headaches - it's certainly been an interesting winter battling the weather!
On Wednesday, I went to Paul Nicholls' media day, with huge numbers of the press in attendance. Did plenty of interviews myself about the current state of the ground and also had interesting discussions with Paul, Paul Barber, Clive Smith and plenty of others too. Thursday saw more meetings, with Sean Macdonald and Richard Linly from the BHA, to make sure they were happy with a few improvements we had made to the collecting areas at the starts and the stabling arrangements for the RoR parade horses (which are coming on the Tuesday of The Festival) and the horses for the Ladies Charity race (Thursday). Friday saw a Cheltenham Board meeting, enabling us to update the non-execs on track preparations, entries, ticket sales and so on.
Looking forward to next week, we have a host of media events, with a trip to Nicky Henderson's yard on Monday, a sports editors dinner on Tuesday and The Cheltenham Countdown (with around 80 trainers, industry figures and media in attendance) on Wednesday. The preaparations are now at fever pitch!
19th February 2010 - 25 days to go
An inch of snow this morning, when we were expecting a severe frost, came as a big relief as it meant our work out on the track could continue as planned. With all fifteen flights of hurdles now set up on the two hurdle courses and most of the running rail in situ, we are on target to have everything ready to roll by the end of next week. We always plan to finish our preparations a fortnight in advance just in case the weather in the last seventeen days kept us off the course. We have made a few adjustments to the collecting areas at the starts to improve further the access onto the course when the starter calls the runners out. Last Friday Sam Thomas, up here to sign 1000 Denman & Kauto Star 'Superstars prints' (also signed by Paul Nicholls and Ruby Walsh) which are for sale in the Cheltenham Collection, kindly came out with me to take a look and was happy our changes would be a big help. The starts are such a big part of The Festival we need to ensure we do our bit to get them right.
I dropped in at Newbury on Saturday for what was probably their best jump card ever, with Denman, Master Minded and Diamond Harry all in action. Nice to see Master Minded back in form after his rib problem and what a relief all is well with Denman after he rooted the third last. Managed to watch Long Run's race over 2m at Warwick, and spoke to a happy Sam Waley Cohen when he arrived at Newbury. Interesting to hear later in the week he definitely goes for the RSA Chase over an extended three miles on the Wednesday rather than the Irish Independent Arkle. Saturday night saw us back at Cheltenham for the Military Charity Ball organised by colleague Rebecca Morgan and Lt Guy Disney. Fantastic evening enjoyed by over 1000 guests and the magnificent sum of £125,000 raised for three military charities. A good amateur rider, Guy, who used to work for me on race days, lost his right lower leg whilst on tour in Afghanistan last July, returns to race riding today when he rides in a charity flat race at Fakenham - a brave man in many ways!
Ran into Nigel Bunter, owner of Alan King's yard, at the Vine and Craven Point to Point at Barbury on Sunday and swapped cold weather stories! Good to see pointing going so well with some competitive races. Bon Accord, second to Amicelli in the 08 Foxhunter, won and he might have another crack at the Foxhunter this year.
At the gathering of the Group's Head Groundsman here on Monday, Tony Howland and I were comforted by their assessment of our course, with no one (including those responsible for Newmarket, Epsom and Aintree) conceding they looked in any better shape than we did, and none of them have raced since at least November. Took the guys to Kingsholme, where Gloucester, who beat Harlequins comprehensively on Saturday, are based and shared with their groudsman Dave Balmer the challenges of winter sports on turf. Lets hope the temperatures rise a little next week so we can crack on with the work on the turf.
On Tuesday trainers had to decide whether to leave their horses in the five major championships and when they came through from Weatherbys, there were no surprises. Disappointingly, by Wednesday we heard that Binocular had been diagnosed with a muscle problem scuppering his hopes of a run in the Smurfit Kappa Champion Hurdle but it still leaves Nicky with Zaynar (beaten at Kelso when 14-1 on) on Thursday in testing ground, and Punjabi.
This week has seen the pre Festival planning meetings continue with the vet team yesterday, (there will be 10 of them here at The Festival including those from the BHA) and later today the medical team (seven doctors and ten ambulances) to ensure we provide the best level of cover to all participants in need of our help.
13th February 2010 - 31 days to go
Back at the racecourse on Monday after a short break in Scotland, I was surprised to discover we had only had 2.5 mm of rainfall since the previous Wednesday, despite the fact that heavy rain had been forecast for 3 days towards the end of last week. Meeting early with Tony Howland, our Head Groundsman, who looked remarkably spritely having been the Clerk of the Course at the South Midlands Area Club Point to Point at Whitfield the previous day where they had 11 races with 146 runners! With the outlook for frosts every night we decided to hold off with the harrowing and aerating until we see some sort of recovery in air and soil temperatures. Until such time as soil temperatures rise above 6 degrees there will be little grass growth and we therefore will not be applying any nutrients until the temperature recovers to that level.
On Tuesday we had our security meeting with the police and BHA to discuss arrangements for The Festival. Working together we ensure the security of the horses, their staff, and the jockeys as unobtrusively as we can. This was followed by my first fashion assignment of The Festival helping colleague Rebecca Morgan choose the colours for the Denman and Kauto Star T shirts which will soon be flying off the shelves.
Preparations for March 16th continue apace with the lads continuing with the work of steam cleaning, disinfecting and painting the stables or busy moving up to two miles of running rails when the frost has lifted and we can get on the course. It was 9 degrees below freezing on Wednesday night and the outlook shows little respite from the cold for another ten days or so. With all 299 stables needed for runners, any horses that come to The Festival in a supporting role need to be found homes elsewhere. On the opening day we will be welcoming a number of previous Cheltenham winners who have now found new roles in other equestrian spheres including a number from Ireland who will be staying with me a few miles outside of Winchcombe.
The forfeits for the totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup, the Season's Holidays Queen Mother Champion Chase, The Ryanair Steeple Chase, the Smurfit Kappa Champion Hurdle and the Ladbrokes World Hurdle all fall next Tuesday and we wait with anticipation to see what's in and what's out for the big Championships when the information is released to us next week.
On Monday and Tuesday we are hosting a gathering of the Jockey Club Racecourses Head Groundsmen, talk about exposing yourself to your sternest critics. I have invited Steve our STRI agronomist along to talk about the management of sports turf during cold spells and how to recover it when the weather improves. His conclusion as he walked round the course on Monday was that the best solution for us would be not to race in January and to run The Festival in April! If only.