The Coral Gold Cup is right around the corner. The Grade 3 steeplechase is one of Great Britain’s most popular races. Held annually on the Newbury Ground, the chase is a magnet for fans and bettors. In a very similar fashion, the Ascot is another massively popular horse racing gather, which sees notable horses compete on various races. The Coral Hurdle is the Ascot’s most popular event, which happened just a few days ago. Goshen won the race, and while many fans were excited about the horse’s comeback, many others left the festival disappointed.
What Caused the Disappointment?
The disappointment had nothing to do with Goshen, or any other horse. Rather, it was something that couldn’t be helped. The dry cold weather had caused the ground to dry, making it difficult for certain horses to compete. In order to prevent any injury or worse, many trainers and managers pulled their animals for the competition. Naturally, this hugely disappointed fans, as the Ascot is one of the most important races, comparable to the Cheltenham Festival in March, and the upcoming Newbury Ground Coral Gold Cup.
Ascot staff explained that they had watered the grounds repeatedly and continuously. However, the ground had still dried. A notable member of the Ascot staff explained that the whole situation was rather weird, as the year had seen quite a lot of rain, and so the fact it is so dry now is quite perplexing. Many managers have claimed that, while the grounds were indeed dry, that the whole situation was overblown. However, while frustrated, many of the fans understand the decisions made here. After all, the health and security of the horses should be every manager’s top priority.
But the question is, how does any of this relate to Newbury? Well, it appears that the Newbury Ground has been having much the same problems. So, they are working tirelessly to avoid Ascot’s faith, and ensure that there aren’t lots of non-runners during their event as well.
The Prospects of Newbury Ground
Just a couple of days ago, the Newbury Ground underwent inspection. The staff said that the tracks were thirsty, and explained that they are hoping for more rain. The Coral Gold Cup is scheduled to take place in about a week-or-so. If they don’t get their track in order, Newbury might be facing the exact same problems as Ascot.
These problems all were caused during the summer. As many Englanders may remember, the summer brought with it a huge draught, leading to a massive moisture deficit. No matter how hard the Newbury staff is trying, the ground remains dry and hard. According to a Newbury Ground staff member, the last couple of weeks have seen a bit of rain. However, they are not nearly enough to make up for the summer draughts.
Despite the troubles, the Newbury Ground staff are all saying they will continue to work tirelessly to ensure they avoid Ascot’s faith. They keep watering the ground, and hoping for stronger rain. Still, there is cause for worry. After all, the ground has never been this dry before.
Final Say
Two of the most popular horse racing tracks are facing major problems due to the summer’s draughts. Whether the situation improves or not remains to be seen, but certainly if you are interested you should keep your finger on the pulse of the whole situation. Newbury staff is hoping for improvements, and rains are certainly more frequent at this point. However, the fact that the ground has never been this dry before is major cause for concern. Hopefully, the Newbury staff will see some improvement, otherwise it might result in the same faith as Ascot.
