TONY CALVIN: NEW YEAR’S DAY DETAILS – stats and info for Cheltenham, Musselburgh and Windsor

Not good enough – and further low sun moans to come maybe…

Cheltenham have watered (on Sunday and Monday) but are not saying how much, which isn’t really on, is it?

The information is obviously above the paygrade of punters.

The going stick was 6.9 on Monday and is now 6.5 on Tuesday morning, so the unspecified watering (on dry days) has clearly made a difference.

I wonder how much it took to do that.

Punters last in the queue for information

Just tell us, for god’s sake.

I am sure trainers and owners will be told when they ask.

It’s no big deal clearly, but why make it a deal at all?

Sandown have been watering for Saturday’s meeting, and they have given details (7.5mm).

Low sun?

Low sun issues could be possible looking at the forecast, so betting moans at the ready please, ladies and gents.

Now, that grinds punters gears more than Secret Squirrel clerks…

Windsor 2.50pm added to New Year’s Day ITV schedule

Richard Hoiles has kindly just informed me that the 2.50pm at Windsor has been added to the ITV schedule.

There is an inspection 8am tomorrow morning here.

THURSDAY’s DETAILS

CHELTENHAM (low sun alert – dipped to -5 overnight)

GOING: Good

Frost covers will be deployed on take-offs, landings and vulnerable areas (-3 on New Year’s Eve)

Going Stick – 6.5, Tuesday 7.45am

Rails: Chase rail +7y Hurdle rail +6y

• Race 1:Race distance is now +54y to 2m 4f 110y
• Race 2:Race distance is now +63y to 2m 4f 190y
• Race 3:Race distance is now +84y to 3m 1f 140y
• Race 4:Race distance is now +63y to 2m 4f 190y
• Race 5:Race distance is now +54y to 2m 4f 110y
• Race 6:Race distance is now +72y to 3m 65y
• Race 7:Race distance is now +36y to 2m 215y

Wednesday morning course update: 45mm of rainfall since the last meeting (13th). 1.5mm since 19th. Dry forecast through to racing. Temperatures dipped to -5 overnight and are forecast to rise to +4 during the day today. 0 degrees (possibly -1) forecast for tonight, rising from the early morning to +6 in the afternoon. Frost covers have been deployed on take-offs, landings and vulnerable areas.

Weather (yr.no latest): Dry and sunny; -2 night of 31^st (5 degrees during day)

Watering: Selective watering finished on Monday.

MUSSELBURGH

GOING – Chase: Good to soft, soft in places;  Hurdles: Good to soft

GOING STICK: 6.8, Tuesday 8am (Musselburgh’s going stick parameters- Soft 5.6 – 6.6, Good to Soft 6.6 – 7.6, Good 7.6 – 8.6.)

Rails: Bottom bend split. Chases on the outside, Hurdles on the inner.

Tuesday morning course update: Partly Cloudy. 0.5mm rain overnight. Mostly dry with a frost forecast on Wednesday morning (-2C) and temperatures rising and above freezing Wednesday into Thursday. Tuesday +5C / -2C, 0mm. Wednesday +6C / +3C, 0-1mm. Thursday +6Cc, 0mm

Weather (yr.no latest): Dry and sunny; no overnight frost

WINDSOR (8am inspection New Year’s Day)

GOING: Good, good to soft in places

The whole track is covered in fleece . A precautionary inspection will be held at 8am tomorrow morning due to forecasted temperatures

Going Stick 7.7 on Fri 7:00am (well out of date)

Soil Moisture– 49% . Todays updates unavailable due to frost covers

Rails: 3 yards off the inside line around the Marina Bend. 8 yards off the inside line around the Winning Post Bend.

Wednesday morning course update: 0c this morning, temperatures reaching 4c today. Lows of -1 tonight, 1c tomorrow morning, 6c for racing.

Weather (yr.no latest): Dry and sunny; -1 night of 31^st (6 degrees during day)

FIRST-TIME HEADGEAR STATS

Peter Niven visor, Malystic , 2,15pm Musselburgh; 1-7 since 2013

Evan Williams cheekpieces; Minella Missile, 2.50pm Windsor; 13-98 since 2016 (I bet this angle interests a few tipsters/punters…)

PACE MAPS (manually assessed; ITV races only)

1.25pm Cheltenham: Does He Know (prom), Shannon Royale (prom), Inch House, New Order

1.40pm Musselburgh: Moonbow, Serious Chat (prom), Bold Light (prom), Fasol?, Bel Amigo, Chanonry Point

2pm Cheltenham: Jungle Boogie, Matata, Twinjets, Riskintheground?, Il Ridoto (prom), Grandeur D’Ame, Glengouly

2.15pm Musselburgh: Inox Allen, Jet To Vegas?, Blue d’Enfer, Rexem?, Breizh River (prom)

2.35pm Cheltenham: Gowel Road, Kamsinas?, The Real Whacker

2.50pm Windsor: Rambo T?, Wellington Arch, Idy Wood, Stream Of Stars, Hartington (prom?), Thanksforthehelp (prom)

3.10pm Cheltenham: Double Powerful, Ace Of Spades, Love Of Neymore, Pike Road

TRAINERFORM (manually assessed; ITV races only; going into Tuesday’s racing)

Good: Bailey and Nicholls, Warren Greatrex, Sam Thomas, Paul Nicholls, Anthony Honeyball, Robbie Llewellyn, Adam Nicol, Tristan Davidson (very small sample, so probably more fair), Olly Murphy, Jonjo and AJ O’Neill, Jamie Snowden

Fair: Nicky Henderson, Nigel and Willy Twiston-Davies, Dan Skelton, John McConnell, Fergal O’Brien, Patrick Neville (small sample; no winners), Emma Lavelle, Neil Mulholland (winner on Tuesday), Donald McCain (winner on Tuesday), Russell and Scudamore, Nicky Richards, Nick Alexander, David Pipe (borderline good)

Moderate: Ian Donoghue, Charlie Longsdon (no winners but maybe harsh assessment), Venetia Williams, Alan King, Faye Bramley (very small sample, so possibly more fair), Martin Keighley, Joe Tizzard (winner on Tuesday though), Evan Williams

Don’t know: Samuel Drinkwater, Dianne Sayer, Ann Hamilton, Peter Niven (two runners; one 7-4 winner)