Heavy frost leads to Kelso call off

KELSO’S meeting today has been abandoned due to a frozen track. The Borders venue called an inspection for noon on Monday after a succession of cold nights.

Frost covers were laid over the vulnerable areas, but they were not enough to save the meeting when temperatures dipped to -3C.

Clerk of the course Matthew Taylor tweeted: “Fixture @KelsoRacecourse abandoned on Tuesday 26th. Track currently frozen and would need more than 24 hours to thaw.”

Wetherby’s meeting on Thursday must pass a 9am inspection tomorrow.

Following last week’s rain and snow, parts of the back straight are currently flooded or frozen.

Temperatures will need to rise in order for conditions to improve and while a frost was expected overnight on Monday evening, it should be warmer from today.

A tweet from the course read: “Sadly the course has several areas of frozen water still standing. Plus we’ve now got frozen ground too!

“Forecast is moderately favourable, but we have scheduled an initial inspection to assess progress at 9am on Wednesday morning.”

Meanwhile, classic-winning trainer Paul D’Arcy will saddle his final runner at Kempton tomorrow.

Knight Of Kings will run in the first division of the Unibet New Instant Roulette Maiden Stakes and will be ridden by John Egan.

D’Arcy teamed up with Egan for his biggest success when Indian Haven won the Irish 2,000 Guineas in 2003.

Based in Newmarket, D’Arcy began training in 1993 following a career as a jockey, and insisted he always planned to retire when he turns 65 next month.

“I’ve no regrets, I turn 65 in February and always planned to step away then,” said D’Arcy.

“The licence comes up for renewal on February 1, so I don’t see any point in renewing it for two weeks. We’ve been winding down for for a while so we’re down to five horses now. Those will now be going to John Butler, but I’ll still be involved in a small way.

“There’s no significance in me booking John for the last one, he rode that horse last time.”

D’Arcy looked back fondly on his career adding: “There’s been lots of highlight. As we never had that many horses we got to know the horses personally, I can look back with pride.”