The Glorious summer that we experienced in England has now come back to bite certain racecourses getting ready for the upcoming jumps season as some of them are struggling to get the ground to a condition that is suitable for racing.
Exeter were set to get their season underway with a strong card of runners and riders a week from today but are now in huge doubt as course officials have recently described the meeting is in jeopardy.
Wincanton are also in a similar position as Exeter as the West Country has took it hard with the lack of rain that has fell during the summer. They are also set to have a meeting next Thursday but unless there is severe rainfall in that area both the racecourses will not be staging a meeting.
Another jumps racecourse that is in turmoil after not just talking about losing a meeting is Thurles after actually losing there first race card since March yesterday, for the same reason as the other two, the ground is to firm to ride on with little if no rain forecasted before the meeting.
This is not good and real talking point in the jumps racing scene at the moment as if these meetings are going to suffer like this all season the standard of National Hunt racing will take a severe decline that what it has been from previous seasons.
The West Country seem to have had a tough time of things with not just jump racing though as Bath Racecourse known just for flat racing also had documented problems through the season with the ground being in dreadful condition due to the lack of rain and the course having no watering system leaving it too firm and all dried out.
The latest Met Office forecast for Exeter is for a dry and more sun than rain for the week heading for the weekend where the rain starts to come on Saturday morning but then leaving a dry day on Sunday.
Wincanton don't race until October 19 but is also in need of plenty of rain with ground currently similar to Exeter but does have a better chance of getting racing on.