Rain won't go away at Goodwood - but brighter times are ahead

The latest downpours forced the abandonment of Thursday afternoon’s planned eight-race card.

But ever-optimistic clerk of the course Seamus Buckley says high pressure is on the way.

And officials are hopeful a bit of spring-like weather will be experienced for their big three-day May festival starting on May 24.

Today’s racing was called off this morning after 19mm of rain fell overnight.

Officials has called a precautionary inspection believing the course would be raceable with between five to 10mm of rain, but the downpour was twice as bad as expected.

Buckley said: “We were raceable on Wednesday afternoon but come Thursday morning, we certainly weren’t.

“As it turned out, by Thursday afternoon, the fog had come down too and visibility was down to 75 metres, which would have stopped us racing.

“That’s around 175mm of rain, more than seven inches, now in five weeks - there’s not been an April and May like it since I first came to Goodwood many years ago. It’s very disappointing.

“But there’s some high pressure coming in so hopefully things will settle down. It would be nice if we have nice dry spell ready for our May festival.”

The next local racing is due next Wednesday at Fontwell Park.