Cold snap wreaks havoc on fixtures
JUMPS MEETINGS ALL OFF
THERE will be no National Hunt racing in Britain until tomorrow at the earliest after the weekend cold snap caused havoc with the fixture list.
Yesterday’s meetings at Carlisle and Ffos Las were abandoned because of snow, while today’s cards at Kelso and at Southwell went the same way.
Southwell abandoned as the track is covered by four inches of snow. Kelso is also snowbound and called off its fixture following an unsuccessful inspection at 2pm yesterday.
A statement issued by Kelso read: “Further snow showers today and temperatures remaining around zero degrees – and forecast of further snow this evening – leaves insufficient hope for required improvement.”
Any chance of domestic jumps racing tomorrow is solely dependant upon an improvement in conditions at Wetherby.
The going at the Yorkshire circuit is heavy, waterlogged in places, after 57 millimetres of rain between March 5-13.
Exeter’s meeting tomorrow was abandoned just after 11am yesterday. After having sustained 88mm of rainfall within the previous seven days, the track was covered by two inches of snow.
Yesterday’s meetings in Ireland, at Navan and Limerick, were also cancelled because of snow. The former was called off in the morning, but Limerick had no option but to abandon early in the afternoon, having initially been considered fit for purpose.
Clerk of the course Val O’Connell said: “I walked the course at 7.30am this morning and it was perfectly raceable.
“The situation was monitored during the morning and it started to snow just before midday. It has continued to snow and is likely to do so for about four hours.
“After discussing the situation with the stewards and a number of jockeys and trainers, the meeting has been cancelled due to unsafe ground conditions.”
Limerick is also due to race today and will stage an 8am inspection.
Today’s only surviving domestic fixture is at Lingfield. There are “currently no problems” ahead of the seven-race Flat card on the allweather track.
Newcastle is also set to stage a Flat fixture tomorrow.
There was a dusting of snow on the track yesterday morning, but clerk of the course James Armstrong expects the weather to turn milder from today.