Cold snap means Sandown card hinges on morning inspection

Saturday’s Sandown fixture is subject to a precautionary inspection on raceday morning as the cold snap continues to bite in Britain.

Friday’s Musselburgh card was called off less than 10 minutes before the first race due to a frozen track, while Saturday’s National Hunt fixture at Newcastle was abandoned following a lunchtime inspection with the ground unlikely to improve in time for racing.

Sandown is set to the host the British weekend highlight in the shape of the £100,000 Unibet Veterans’ Handicap Chase and although the course was raceable on Friday afternoon, clerk of the course Andrew Cooper will assess conditions at 7.30am on Saturday, with temperatures forecast to dip below freezing again.

He said: “I think it’s sensible given the uncertainty of the overnight temperatures at the moment and the impact that has.

“We had our coldest night of the winter so far last night, we went as low as minus 2.5C, but we got up to 6C this afternoon and the track was raceable by mid-afternoon.

“I would say we’ve covered about 25 per cent of the course – we’ve got the frost covers down on the areas that don’t see much daylight, such as in front of the stands.

“We’re forecast a possible low of minus 1C overnight and there is a slight risk of some mist or fog in the morning, so we still need a little bit of luck and it seems sensible to look at 7.30am.”

Wincanton’s Saturday card is also subject to a precautionary check at 8am, with temperatures forecast to potentially reach minus 3C overnight. Cork will also inspect at 8am ahead of the planned National Hunt card.

Sunday’s Grade One fixture at Naas hinges on a 7.30am raceday inspection.

The seven-race meeting is spearheaded by the Lawlor’s of Naas Novice Hurdle, a top-level contest won by the likes of Envoi Allen and Bob Olinger in recent years, with able support from the Grade Two Racing Post Novice Chase.

Clerk of the course Brendan Sheridan reported the course to be raceable on Friday despite an overnight frost, but with snow a possibility on Saturday night, conditions will be assessed further on Sunday.

He said: “The ground at Naas is currently soft and fit for racing. There is a grass frost at present but that will clear quite quickly today.

“Having spoken with Met Éireann this morning, the forecast for Saturday night into Sunday morning is for rain, sleet or snow. There is an uncertainty at present what will fall so in light of that forecast we will have a 7.30am inspection here at Naas on Sunday morning.”

Tuesday’s meeting at Leicester is already under threat with an inspection also called for Sunday morning.

Officials will assess conditions at 7.45am as the track is reported to be waterlogged with rain or snow forecast on Saturday night.