CHEPSTOW IN THE BALANCE

Snow threatens Welsh Grand National card

CHEPSTOW bosses have their “fingers firmly crossed” the Coral Welsh Grand National will not fall to a 2.30pm inspection today.

The Monmouthshire track’s feature event, where Yala Enki (left) is bidding to make it third time lucky, was rescheduled from December 27 but is under threat from snow as the weather threatens to decimate the weekend’s turf racing.

Saturday cards at Wincanton and Fairyhouse (both at 12pm) are subject to checks today, and

Sunday’s action at Exeter and Naas are also in doubt.

“From 12pm to mid-afternoon, we’ve got snow forecast so our fingers are firmly crossed,” d, said Chepstow clerk of the he course Libby O’Flaherty (right).

“We’re currently raceable — there is no frost in the ground — and we’ve got great grass cover. over.

“We could get 1cm of snow, we could get 10cm, or we could get nothing at all.”

Groundstaff at Exeter will hold an inspection at 4pm tomorrow, while the Grade 1 Lawlor’s Of Naas Novice Hurdle fixture is “odds against” going ahead as planned.

Ho However, hopes are high that th Saturday’s Kempton L Lanzarote Hurdle meeting will beat the elements.

“If we get cloud cover t tonight, to limit the frost, I hohope we’ll be OK,” said Kempton clerk of the course Barney Clifford.

This afternoon’s seven-race programme at Taunton fell to the frost yesterday.