Eoin Ryan / 24 August 2009 Free Bet View Market

The racecourse will of course do their best to keep us punters informed but as I live and work beside the track (and go to the gym a few times a week at the track - granted you wouldn't know that from my picture!) I will try to keep punters updated as to the rainfall and weather conditions here in the area.

There isn't a great deal of information out there online and weather reports can be hit and miss, so, armed with a camera (I knew that blackberry would come in handy some day) and with my own interpretation of the specific rainfall - "chucking it down'', ''wet" "dry" "sunny" will all be used regularly I suspect - I will try to do my best to keep you informed.

The photos you'll see here are taken from my office window (approx 3 min walk from the track) but I'll also drive to the racecourse and take some snaps from there too. If it becomes apparent that Sea The Stars will not be running, I may decide to curtail this project. Either way, you'll be armed with the most up to date info.

Also, please feel free to post a comment or question here, especially if you are thinking of betting ante post. It's no problem for me to update this page on request and I am happy to do so. You can reply to this blog by clicking 'Leave a Comment' above, or email me at eoin.ryan@betfair.com

Update 10am Wednesday

Here is the latest going report from the track this morning:

Update 2.30pm Thurs

Ok, so Sea The Stars has been entered which is fantastic news for the race and his backers; though not for the punters laying at 14.5 or thereabouts on Betfair, who will be popping out to Chums shortly for some new underwear I'd say.

Up till lunchtime today, I doubt the racecourse could have asked for better drying conditions. It was bright, relatively warm and very breezy. However, between1.45 and 2.15pm the racecourse have been getting showers, some quite heavy. I've been down to the track and walked a section of the back stretch, digging my heel into the ground to try to get a feeling for underfoot conditions. I have to say, I'm really surprised because the ground seemed pretty good to me - although parts had noticeably more 'give' than others - and there was a lovely cover of grass.

After leaving the track, where it was dry and mild, I drove about 1 km down the road and all of a sudden the heavens opened! There was some really heavy rain and then it reverted to drizzle - and it is still drizzling as I write at 14.30.

Here are a selection of pictures from this afternoon. Click to enlarge.

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Update 4.20pm Thurs

Dry between 2.45pm & 4.10pm and then a pretty heavy shower landed on course at 4.15pm. It didn't last long but when added to the ones earlier it isn't good news at all.

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Update 9.20am Friday

Lovely sunny morning around the racecourse area with a pretty strong breeze doing its best to help the ground dry out quickly. Just need the showers to stay away today.

The official going report as of 8am today was 'yielding, yielding to soft in places' after 1m of rain fell at the track on Thursday.

I'll update later if any showers look like they've landed.

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Tags: Fame And Glory, Irish Horseracing, Leopardstown Betting, Leopardstown Going Update, Leopardstown Ground, Sea The Stars