Work in vain as Lingfield’s Winter Million meeting is thwarted by the weather

DESPITE a huge effort by officials and groundstaff at Lingfield the third day of the Winter Million fixture had to be abandoned due to a frozen track.

Prospects had looked bleak last week and Friday’s scheduled card, the first of the three- day Winter Million meeting, was called off a long way in advance.

However, a thaw towards the end of the week, particularly on Saturday which enabled the course to become raceable, raised hopes the valuable fixture featuring the Fleur Du Lys Chase would be able to take place.

Forecasts ranged from between minus 1C and minus 4C with clerk of the course George Hill confessing it would need to be towards the lower end to stand any chance. Unfortunately temperatures reached minus 5C on the course and the efforts of up to 50 people in covering up the course with frost sheets went to waste with the meeting called off long before a scheduled 8am precautionary inspection.

It means there has been no racing on turf in the UK since Hereford last Monday but Navan did manage to race on Saturday in Ireland and at Thurles yesterday.

There was also bad news from Market Rasen, which had abandoned their meeting on Friday, set to feature the Listed Alan Swinbank Mares’ Open National Flat race, but swiftly rearranged it for tomorrow. However, much colder temperatures than forecast over the weekend has meant there has been no discernible improvement in the track and yesterday morning tomorrow’s fixture was also abandoned.

Exeter’s meeting tomorrow must survive a 4pm inspection today, while Leicester will inspect at 3.30pm today for their meeting tomorrow.

Kempton’s all- weather meeting today faces an 8am precautionary inspection.