Fairyhouse prospects ‘poor’ as racing locked in deep freeze
Prospects for Fairyhouse’s big meeting on Thursday are “poor”, according to acting course manager Peter Roe.
Navan, which was due to race tomorrow, was cancelled yesterday, with the track covered in snow.
Fairyhouse is scheduled to house an eight-race card, with three Grade 1’s on the programme, after the meeting was cancelled last Sunday because of snow.
The course was still covered in snow yesterday afternoon. Said Roe: “I’m pessimistic about Thursday going ahead. “We still have about three inches of snow on the track and there is no sign of a thaw. The forecast isn’t good, with more snow to come.
“We will review the situation. We’re already looking at possible contingency plans, if we cannot race on Thursday, and might be able to say more about that tomorrow.”
The three Grade 1’s promise to be very informative, especially the Hatton’s Grace Hurdle, with Solwhit and Hurricane Fly set to take on each other.
Willie Mullins trains Hurricane Fly and also plans to run Zaidpour and Mikael D’Haguenet on Thursday. The ex-French Zaidpour made a spectacular start in this country in a maiden at Punchestown and is now pencilled in for the Royal Bond Novice Hurdle.
Mikael D’Haguenet, regarded as a possible future Cheltenham Gold Cup winner, contests the Drinmore Novice Chase.
A high-class hurdler, he is being thrown in at the deep end on his first venture over fences in Ireland and will have to overcome an absence of 579 days.
Mullins has four entries in Sunday’s Grade 1 John Durkan Memorial Chase at Punchestown, which is also very much under threat.
He indicated yesterday that he will rely on Cooldine and J’y Vole. Golden Silver, also among the Durkan entries, is more likely to wait for Cork the following Sunday.
nProspects of jumps racing in Britain this week also look bleak as the Arctic conditions continue to bite.
National Hunt fixtures have already been wiped out yesterday and today and, with no end in sight to the cold spell, more blank days are likely.
Yesterday’s meeting at Folkestone finally had to give in to snow after twice being given the go-ahead.
Runners were at the start for the first race at 12.25pm, but had to return as conditions deteriorated.
Clerk of the course Andrew Waitt said: “I’m absolutely gutted as the team worked incredibly hard to try to get racing on but the decision was taken out of our hands”.
Tomorrow’s meeting at Ayr and Catterick have gone by the wayside.
Five inches of snow is reported to be lying on the track at Catterick.
An 8am inspection today has been called ahead of tomorrow’s other jumps meeting at Plumpton.
The situation is no better on Thursday, with the three scheduled jumps meetings holding inspections.
Leicester and Market Rasen are having a look at 10am today, while Wincanton willl look 24 hours later.
Officials at Sandown admit their two-day meeting, featuring the Tingle Creek Chase on Saturday, could be in the balance unless conditions improve dramatically.
“It’s not looking great at this stage,” said clerk of the course Andrew Cooper.
Lingfield have again stepped into the breach, meanwhile, by announcing an additional all-weather card on Thursday.
