WORRIES over the state of the ground at Cheltenham racecourse have prompted the track to call in an independent team of turf experts.
Trainers have once again given jumping's premier track the cold shoulder with just 23 horses declared for today's meeting.
The course suffered from small fields at the three day Murphy's Gold Cup meeting earlier in the month. Critics have blamed poor turf husbandry and some believe the whole track may need to be reseeded.
Improved drainage now tends to prevent the heavy ground which used to be a problem but lower subterranean water levels often result in the ground riding faster than is suitable for most horses.
Clerk of the course Philip Ark wright is concerned and called up the West Yorkshire based Sports Turf Research Institute to check over the course yesterday.
"Our agronomist Mike Harbridge will be making a routine visit during the week" he said. "But in the light of the small fields at the Murphy's, meeting and in view of the criticism from certain quarters I thought it appropriate, to commission a totally independent report on the current state of the turf and sward and the level of husbandry.
"An inspection was carried out this morning by Peter Winter of the Sports Turf Research Institute from Bingley and his report should be with us within 10 days."
Arkwright insisted he was merely using the institute for advice and was unlikely to take action based on its findings.
"I was being criticised and I really just thought it would be a help to take a report from the leading sports turf advisers," he said.
Jeff Perris, the head of advisory and consultancy services at the Sports Turf Research Institute, said: "We've been invited to appraise the course. It was only in the last day or two that the course contacted us.
"We've been involved with horse racing for a number of years and have worked closely with the racing authorities."
Unfortunately there has not been enough rain to ease the ground significantly for todays Cheltenham fixture.
"We've had about a quarter of an inch of rain and it'll ride much the same as it did at the last meeting," said Arkwright.
