Another weather warning

RAIN continues to threaten the weekend, with both Sandown and Wetherby’s ITV fixtures subject to 8am inspections.

Sandown is due to stage an all-chase card, including the Virgin Bet Cotswold Chase after the Cheltenham Gold Cup trial was lost to the elements last Saturday.

“Conditions have improved a bit during the day,” said the Esher track’s clerk of the course Andrew Cooper said.

“We are not out of the woods yet but, given the importance of the meeting, we have to give it every chance.” Wetherby’s all-hurdle fixture, which includes Cheltenham’s William Hill Cleeve Hurdle from last weekend, must also beat the weather.

“The hurdles course would be fit to race today,” said a Wetherby spokesperson yesterday.

“However, in view of the fact rain is forecast, we will stage a precautionary inspection.”

■ MINELLA INDO needs to “get back on track” in Leopardstown’s Paddy Power Irish Gold Cup tomorrow to keep his Cheltenham Gold Cup dream alive. The eightyear-old is the sponsor’s 6-4 favourite for the feature race of the two-day Dublin Festival.

But Rachael Blackmore’s mount, 7-1 second favourite for chasing’s blue riband on March 19, must show he has learned from the fall that ended his Savills Chase challenge in December.

“Horses can fall and make mistakes, and unfortunately he did,” said trainer Henry de Bromhead, left.

“It went wrong at Christmas and we need to get back on track, but we’ve schooled him plenty since, and Rachael seems happy with him.”