Cheltenham covers race track as temperature drops below zero

Mercury drops to -2C in early hours of Wednesday

Cheltenham will deploy frost covers to save the vulnerable areas of its horse-racing tracks as temperatures hit sub-zero levels.

The mercury dropped to -2C in the early hours on Wednesday ahead of day two of the Cheltenham Festival, prompting the clerk of the course to take measures to protect the take-offs and landings around 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,” said 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 told the Racing Post.

The Cheltenham Festival began on Tuesday (14 March) and will go on till Friday (17 March).

The horse racing competition has been marred by the tragic passing of horses after falls in competition.

According to long-standing animal rights group Animal Aid, at least one horse has died every year that the Festival has been held since 2000.

The organisation’s data shows a total of 73 horses have died after running at the event in the last 23 years.

The British Horseracing Authority (BHA) published 17 recommendations designed to improve the safety and welfare of horses and riders in National Hunt racing after a review of the festival in 2018.

The recommendations included increased pre-race veterinary checks on runners and a reduction in the safety limit for two-mile chases from 24 to 20.