Stickels anticipating ‘easy side’ of good for Champions Day ground

PA Sport Reporters
October 11, 2021 10:45 am

‘Promising forecast’ for Ascot ahead of Group One action.

Conditions at Ascot for Qipco British Champions Day look like being on the soft side of good with the weather set relatively fair for the rest of the week.

Currently the going on the straight and round courses is a mixture of good to soft and soft, but not much rain is forecast.

However, given the time of year, the ground is not expected to dry up appreciably from its current state.

Chris Stickels, clerk of the course told Sky Sports Racing: “We’ve been dry now for the last 24 hours and the going currently on the straight course is good to soft, soft in places and on the round course it’s soft, good to soft in places with quite a promising forecast.

“There are only minor amounts of rain forecast. It’s a dry day today, Tuesday we may see splinters of light rain through the afternoon. Then it’s dry until Friday, when there is the chance of a light shower.

“At this stage, while I can’t be overly confident, it looks like being mainly dry, with Saturday a largely dry day as well.

“I think it’s fairly overcast today and there will be heavy dews and morning mists. It won’t dry like it does in June and July. It would only dry up as much this week as it would during a day in the summer.

“I’m anticipating, given the forecast, that conditions will improve a little by the end of the week. Good ground could feature on both courses but I think it will be on the easy side.

“It’s all coming together very well and this will be the biggest crowd we’ll have had for a couple of years.”