By Tony Calvin - 29 January 2026
58mm overnight into Leopardstown on Tuesday morning; 10mm at Sandown in roughly the same timeframe (and 1mm overnight); and 14mm at Musselburgh yesterday.
Current going descriptions and forecasts are below.
All three tracks now have a pleasant Wednesday but Leopardstown is currently set to get tasty again on Thursday and Friday, with Sandown and Musselburgh copping more rain on Friday.
I’d say Sandown’s 8am inspection tomorrow may not be needed (it looks a lovely day in Esher) and they will decide to go with the original card, though they may need a precautionary Saturday morning inspection after Friday’s forecast rain.
Just a guess.
Leopardstown will seemingly race even if they get another 58mm….it’s too big to fail, innit.
They are due another 31mm on Thursday and Friday according to more than one weather site, though.
The course have just tweeted (2.30pm): “Following our IHRBRaceday inspection today, the track is now raceable. The Chase track is now soft and the Hurdle track heavy. Forecast according to MetEireann is 10-25mm of rain until Saturday,with the heaviest on Thursday night into Friday morning, and mainly dry thereafter.”
I have also updated the double entries this morning to take into account Friday’s planned runners, so pay particular attention to those marked in bold.
Most importantly perhaps, Wendigo was yesterday confirmed to run at Ayr on Thursday (three-runner race), so definitely do not back him ante-post for the Scilly Isles.
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ITV Racing haven’t yet announced their live schedule for Sandown, Musselburgh and Leopardstown next week (their website still says “TBC”, as at 7am on Tuesday – surely they have to do better) though they will be on air on Saturday and Sunday.
However, we have a fair idea what will be shown (they are thought to be below – the Irish races are my guess), and Musselburgh’s Scottish Champion Chase (it’s a handicap) will definitely be one race, as the UK’s only early-closer next weekend.
There are currently 17 in the race ahead of Monday’s confirmation stage (I am writing this section on Sunday), with Thistle Ask topping the weights.
Seven of the 17 are currently out of the handicap.
I was surprised to see some firms have priced it up, though one outfit have eight horses chalked up between 4s and 8s.
For what it is worth, last year’s winner The Kalooki Kid is the marginal favourite at [4/1] across the board.
Monday update: Thistle Ask wasn’t confirmed, so the weights have gone up 4lb, bringing Moon d’Orange into the handicap.
Those confirmed (10) are: JPR One, Insurrection, Tommy’s Oscar, The Kalooki Kid, Teddy Blue, Traprain Law, Moon d’Orange, Bleu d’Enfer, Breizh, River and O’Faolains Glory.
A winnable race for the the money (80k pot, with 41k+ to the winner),
The latest Sandown and Musselburgh ground and weather forecasts are below, and the latter’s initial Monday morning update amused me.
It initially read: “Cloudy”. Someone has a sense of humour (not me, obviously…).
They subsequently put more flesh on the bones (see below).
Sandown’s update was a touch more worrying. Part of it read: “Ground saturated in places, particularly over Hurdles.”
They are due another 20mm+ in the next 24 hours, and they could be up against it this week.
That hurdles course is the gift that is never given.
Sandown’s clerk of the course Andrew Cooper told the Racing Post on Monday morning:
“It’s not a straightforward week by any means. As we speak, we are just about raceable.
“The usual story at Sandown is that the hurdle course, which is the irrigated Flat circuit, is much wetter than the steeplechase course.
“We last raced on January 3 and each week since then we’ve had approaching 30mm of rain. It was the 20-30mm on Wednesday and Thursday last week that took us from okay to borderline in terms of raceability. We are vulnerable.
“One option we will be discussing with the BHA today is whether we give ourselves the flexibility of a steeplechase-only card on Saturday, which we have done in the past. The reality is that having that option gives us the best chance of staging some racing on Saturday.
“We currently have four chases, including the feature, and three hurdles. If that were to change, we would be looking to add two more chases to make a six-race card.”
Cooper kindly just messaged me to say they gave themselves this option at this meeting last year but it wasn’t needed.
However, it was on this card in 2021.
The BHA are to announce this option/details on Monday afternoon, apparently.
In fact it has just been announced here; https://www.britishhorseracing.com/press_releases/bha-confirms-provisional-all-chase-card-for-sandown-park-on-saturday-pending-thursday-inspection-2/
We will know by 8am Thursday how Sandown will proceed.
As at 11.10am on Monday: “Following 20mm of rain since Friday, Leopardstown remains soft to heavy (Hurdle) & yielding to soft (Chase). Heavy rain forecast over the coming 48hrs followed by showers with the possibility of 60mm (approx) of rain prior to racing.”
The ground remains unchanged after 20mm in recent days, then….
That chase course must be a beast to still only be yielding to soft – it can take more punishment than Rocky and still come out smiling, it seems.
Given the amount of rain that could fall tonight (Monday) through Tuesday at all three ITV tracks for Saturday then it makes total sense to hold fire and see what lands. Sandown could get 17mm on Tuesday and Musselburgh 16mm (see below).
Maybe more, maybe less.
I certainly wouldn’t dream of having a bet myself before knowing the extent of that rainfall (though the forecast has got a little better at Sandown this afternoon).
And I am not sure I want to be betting ante-post, full stop, as I imagine plenty of trainers and owners won’t fancy running their horses in the conditions, though Musselburgh shouldn’t be too bad.
In addition, while the UK double entries are below, we won’t know the Irish confirmations for the DRF weekend until Tuesday afternoon, which could be important as regards Sandown’s Scilly Isles (the three Irish entries have Leopardstown options, and many of the best Irish jockeys will be needed at home).
Sandown got 10mm, less than expected. We await the 8am inspection on Thursday here.
No idea about Musselburgh as they have no live rain gauge.
Just the 58mm at Leopardstown (see below…). It remains to be seen how many sets of connections that puts off with more rain to come. I’m sure you have seen those pictures of the waterlogged track.
It really is under water in parts, but at least the forecast from Friday onwards has got a little better today.
If all meetings are on, it is confirmed that we have 11 races on ITV on Saturday ; five from Sandown, three from Musselburgh and two from the current Waterworld that is Leopardstown.
But even if everything gets the green light do you want to be betting in such likely extreme conditions?
I’m not sure I do – and certainly not ante-post, anyway.
Let’s see what unfolds in the next 48 hours or so – you get the impression the DRF is too valuable and too important to not go ahead, come what may.
Back on Thursday, or tomorrow if I see a bet after Musselburgh reported in (unlikely though, as we may as well wait until it’s a day-of-race market from Thursday onwards, given more rain than forecast at all three ITV tracks – and enough is forecast, anyway – could see you doing your money in cold blood with no-shows or withdrawals on the day).
Low sun could result in obstacle omission at this fixture
GOING – Hurdles: Heavy, soft in places; Chase: Soft, heavy in places
GOING STICK – Hurdles: 4.0; Chase: 4.5; Thursday 7.45am
NOTE: Two additional Steeple Chases will close at noon on Tuesday 27 January (see Racing Admin for details) which will only be run if Hurdle Races are abandoned by 8am on Thursday 29 January ahead of declarations that morning. This would leave a 6-race all Steeple Chase card on Saturday 31 January.
Thursday morning course update: 10mm rain Tuesday morning. 1mm rain overnight into Wednesday. Wednesday daytime dry. Dry day expected Thursday and until early hours of Friday, when further rain expected at beginning and end of the day (3-5mm) then possible light showers on Saturday though mainly dry.
Weather (yr.no latest – Thursday 6.45am): 0.5mm Thursday; 6.5mm Friday; 0.9mm Saturday
GOING: Good to soft, soft in places
GOING STICK: 6.7 ; Thursday 7.15am
Rails: All races to be run around inner bottom hurdle bend on day 1.
Thursday morning course update: Thursday 7*/3*, mostly cloudy, 0-1mm. Friday, 6*/4*, mostly cloudy, 1-3mm. Saturday, 8*/ 4* Cloudy conditions, some outbreaks of rain or drizzle. 1-3mm Sunday, cloudy conditions, chance of some rain oir drizzle, , 1-3mm with temperatures of 8* / 3*.
Weather (yr.no latest – Thursday 6.45am): ; 0mm Thursday; 10mm Friday; 1.8mm Saturday; 1.7mm Sunday
29 January 7.55am – Following a dry & breezy 24 hours, Leopardstown is now soft to heavy (Hurdle) & yielding to soft (Chase). Revised forecast from Met Éireann is now 35-40mm (approx) of rain prior to racing
Course update on X (2.30pm. Wednesday): The course have just tweeted (2.30pm): “Following our IHRBRaceday inspection today, the track is now raceable. The Chase track is now soft and the Hurdle track heavy. Forecast according to MetEireann is 10-25mm of rain until Saturday, with the heaviest on Thursday night into Friday morning, and mainly dry thereafter.”
27 January 8.55am – Following 58mm of rain in the last 24hrs (165mm in last 12 days), parts of the track at Leopardstown are now waterlogged. Heaviest rain has now passed according to forecast. Breezy with possibility of light showers today & tomorrow. Mainly dry early Thursday with rain developing Thursday night & then turning mainly dry thereafter into the weekend.
Weather (yr.no latest – Thursday 6.45am): 17mm Thursday; 11mm Friday; 1.4mm Saturday; 0.5mm Sunday
12.55pm Sandown (14 entries): Ephinephrine (a 72-length last of 3 at Hereford on Monday), Hypotenus, Lightningupyourdays, Mon Champion (won by a nose at Hereford on Monday), Norn Iron, Palamon
1.10pm Musselburgh (11 entries): Fantasy World, Mustang Du Breuil, Square d’Alboni (due to run on Friday)
1.25pm Sandown (13 entries): Blowers (due to run on Friday), Bollin Thou, Combs, Coumeenoole, Hot Goddess, Quinta Do Lago, Tormund Giantsbane
1.43pm Musselburgh (12 entries): Bashful
NB: Williethebuilder is in at Newbury on Feb 7
2.02pm Sandown (16 entries): Denemethy, Hypotenus, Joker De Mai
2.20pm Musselburgh (10 entries): Bleu d’Enfer, O’Faolains Glory
2.40pm Sandown (9 entries): Kala Conti (one of only six in Irish Arkle), Jimmy Du Seuil and Kitzbuhel (two of only nine in 2m5f Grade 1 on Sunday, a race in which Kala Conti has also been confirmed in); Wendigo (due to run at Ayr on Thursday) – it also appears Steel Ally’s participation is up in the air, too
2.55pm Leopardstown (tbc); Romeo Coolio, Kala Conti
3.10pm Sandown (18 entries): Gabbys Cross, Mr Vango, Party Vibes, Sonigino, El Capitaine (beaten 34 lengths at Chepstow on Tuesday)
3.30pm Leopardstown (tbc): NONE
3.42pm Sandown (12 entries): Mr Vango, Prince Zaltar
1.15pm Ascot – 11/2 Catchintsavo set to lead again All change here. Sixteen became six…
TUESDAY race-by-race copy for Saturday 1.15pm Ascot – First three in the betting are due…
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