Wetherby’s meeting on St Stephen's Day has been abandoned due to frost.

THE persistent cold spell has already eaten into the Christmas programme but officials at Kempton remain hopeful about their prospects of staging the prestigious William Hill King George VI Chase meeting Sunday.

The persistent cold spell has already eaten into the Christmas programme but officials at Kempton remain hopeful about their prospects of staging the prestigious William Hill King George VI Chase meeting on St Stephen's Day.

Kauto Star will face 12 rivals as he bids to become the first horse to win the William Hill King George VI Chase for four consecutive years.

Peter Monteith is optimistic Standin Obligation can gain the biggest success of his career in the skybet.com Rowland Meyrick Chase at Wetherby on December 26.

Peter Monteith is optimistic Standin Obligation can gain the biggest success of his career in the skybet.com Rowland Meyrick Chase at Wetherby on Boxing Day.

A repeat bid in the Rowland Meyrick Chase at Wetherby is on the cards for Lothian Falcon as he continues to recover from a minor setback.

Ferdy Murphy hopes Leading Man can continue his progress in the staying ranks with victory in Saturday’s Peter Marsh Chase at Haydock.

Ferdy Murphy will gauge whether Leading Man is up to Cheltenham Gold Cup class in the Peter Marsh Chase at Haydock on Saturday.

Ferdy Murphy was full of praise for Graham Lee after watching his new stable jockey pass the half-century mark for the season with a double at Wetherby which included victory on Leading Man in the £50,000 (€74,500) skybet.com Rowland Meyrick Chase.

Much like that frightful Wizzard chorus, racing fans are surely united in their wish it could be Christmas every day.

Rosses Point is on target to take his chance in the skybet.com Rowland Meyrick Chase at Wetherby on St Stephen's Day.

IRISH mare Asian Maze and Howard Johnson’s No Refuge head the 18 entries for the Byrne Bros Cleeve Hurdle at Cheltenham on Saturday.

Officials at Wetherby have no plans to hold an inspection ahead of their principal jumps meeting of the year next week.

Howard Johnson hopes Grey Abbey can bounce back to form in the skybet.com Rowland Meyrick Chase at Wetherby on St Stephen's Day.

Kempton clerk of the course Brian Clifford is confident of tomorrow’s feature meeting going ahead despite the risk of some overnight snow showers.

NOEL CHANCE is hoping Murphy’s Cardinal can regain the winning thread in the skybet.com Rowland Meyrick Chase at Wetherby on St Stephen’s Day.

Trainer Howard Johnson has been outlining plans for his battalion of stable stars.

TONY DOBBIN is the new partner for Truckers Tavern in both this weekend’s Pillar Property Chase and the Tote Cheltenham Gold Cup in March.

CORAL Welsh National third Hedgehunter is set to return to Britain for his next outing, according to trainer Willie Mullins.

Truckers Tavern was this morning reported none the worse for his fall in an incident-packed Rowland Meyrick Chase at Wetherby yesterday.