Warwick’s Classic Chase meeting abandoned

Officials at Warwick have been left “gutted” after being forced to admit defeat in the battle to get their Unibet Classic Chase card on this weekend.

Like many courses, the battle has not just been on one front with snow, ice and frost causing difficulties.

An inspection was held at 8am on Thursday ahead of declarations for Saturday’s card but it did not take long for clerk of the course Nessie Chanter to announce her decision.

With successive very cold nights of minus 4C to come, there was little hope of improvement.

As well as the Classic Chase there was the Grade Two TrustATrader Hampton Novices’ Chase and the rescheduled Unibet Veterans’ Handicap Chase Final on the card meaning over £300,000 in prize money was up for grabs.

“We’re gutted,” said Chanter. “Temperatures reached minus 4C last night and they are not due to rise above freezing until midday.

“We’re only going to get a high of 2C when it does get above zero so it leaves us with little choice really but to pull the plug because there’s going to be no significant chance of improvement.

“There may be plans afoot to save some of the races but I’m not in a position to confirm any.”

Wetherby’s meeting on Saturday had already been abandoned while Kempton is currently deemed as raceable after flooded parts of the track receded. An inspection may be announced on Thursday afternoon.

Ffos Las has been added to the fixture list as prospects there remain high, the Towton Novices’ Chase has been moved from Wetherby to the new fixture.