Tracks banking on forecast thaw
Doncaster has joined the long list of casualties from this week’s cold snap after officials on Town Moor were left with no option but to abandon tomorrow’s fixture.
The cancellation brings the total number of British meetings lost this week to six, with tomorrow’s remaining jumps card at Folkestone subject to a 7.30 inspection.
“With the forecast drop in temperatures tonight there was no chance the frost was going to be out in time,” Doncaster track manager Malcolm Taylor said.
Racing is also due to take place at the South Yorkshire venue on Saturday, where the Skybet Chase – formerly the Great Yorkshire – is the feature event.
“We will hold an inspection for 2pm tomorrow ahead of Saturday’s card. We are very hopeful because of a rise in temperatures forecast for tomorrow and into double figures for Saturday,” Taylor added.
“Tonight is forecast to be the last cold night of this spell and it will then warm up and get wet as well.”
The official going is good on the chase course and good, good to soft in places on the hurdle track.
Officials at Folkestone have called an inspection for 7.30 tomorrow morning ahead of their afternoon meeting.
The track has a slight covering of snow at present but with an improving forecast, clerk of the course Chris Stickels is hopeful that racing will take place.
He said: “We have got a covering of snow, about an inch or an inch and a half in places, and the temperatures got down to minus four although the ground is not frozen underneath.
“I would say we have got a slightly better chance than 50-50 of racing as the forecast is for temperatures to get up to five degrees or more with a minimum of minus two overnight.”
The Kent course describes the going as heavy, soft in places.
Doncaster is one of four British jumps meeting on Saturday and they are not the only track to be hopeful of racing.
Ayr racecourse said yesterday that they were confident of going ahead but Uttoxeter will hold an inspection at midday tomorrow ahead of their Saturday fixture.
The course is currently covered in frost and snow but Charlie Moore, from the track’s owners Northern Racing, is optimistic over their prospects.
He said: “We have about an inch of snow and ice and obviously we are not raceable at present.
“With an encouraging forecast though we are confident we will be racing and we just want to let everybody know what’s happening which is why we are inspecting at midday tomorrow.
“It’s going to be cold today and it’s still freezing now but tonight it’s only going to be minus one at worst then tomorrow temperatures are set to rise.”
If racing does go ahead on Saturday, the second-last fence on the chase course will be omitted, with the going described as heavy on the chase course and good to soft, soft in places on the hurdles track.
Moore added: “It’s nothing to do with the course being too heavy, it’s just it’s got very wet round there and we feel it’s best this way.”
The richest event on Saturday takes place at Ascot, with the Berkshire track staging the Grade One Servo Computer Services’ Ascot Chase.
Clerk of the course, Nick Cheyne, is also hopeful of the meeting taking place.
“Temperatures fell to minus two last night but they have risen today. We are supposed to get another frost tonight but temperatures are due to rise rapidly during tomorrow,” he said.
“We should be well above freezing on Friday with rain coming in during the afternoon and it is looking as though there will be no frost overnight into Saturday.
“There should be more rain on Saturday morning and, if this is the case, we would be very hopeful of going ahead.”
