Leopardstown hoping for thaw

THE Leopardstown executive are praying the thaw will arrive in time to allow their four-day Christmas Festival get underway on Sunday.

General manager Tom Burke reported yesterday: “We had about an inch and a half of snow this morning and some frost, which wasn’t too serious. We only had a light dusting of snow on the track anyway and there are still bits of green coming through.

“We’re told the temperature will get up to nine degrees on Christmas Day and to nine or ten on St Stephen’s Day so I’m pretty confident we will be okay, but it is a case of wait and see and taking this on a day-to-day basis.