Tracks taking cover
Today became the first day for a week that all racing’s scheduled fixtures beat the cold weather, but the threat of frost is still lingering in the air.
Bangor’s clerk of the course Ed Gretton was able to give today’s card an early go-ahead after temperatures stayed above freezing overnight, leaving his Ludlow counterpart Bob Davies hoping for a similar outcome ahead of Thursday’s racing.
Davies will will hold a precautionary inspection at 7.30am, although temperatures are not forecast to drop too low.
He said: “It is purely precautionary and there are no problems with the track now. The forecast is for between minus one and plus two tonight, but the forecast is not totally reliable so we felt it best to check.”
Officials at Exeter are confident they will be able to stage their fixture if a reasonably mild forecast proves accurate.
Clerk of the course Barry Johnson reported: “There are no plans for an inspection. We had a very light frost this morning and we are perfectly raceable.
“The forecast overnight is for the temperature to get to just about freezing, but warming up to around four degrees during the night.”
In an attempt to keep the cold snap at bay, officials at Uttoxeter and Ascot are covering their respective tracks to fend off frost.
Groundstaff at the Midlands track have covered the entire course ahead of Friday’s meeting, while Ascot’s team have done the same ahead of their two-day fixture, which begins the same day.
Uttoxeter has been frost-hit for over a week but officials hope the initiative, which is being employed at a cost of £14,000 (€19,400), will prove successful with 20 acres of grass now under cover.
General manager David MacDonald said: “We cannot say for certain that this will work, but we’re giving it our very best shot.”
Clerk of the course Keith Ottesen added: “With it being sunny today, all the frost is now out of the ground. This has been our first opportunity to get the canvas covers down.
“If the overnight temperature dips below minus four degrees I’m not sure that even the covers will be enough, but without them we’d have little or no chance of racing.”
Officials at Ascot will be hoping their efforts also pay dividends, with Friday’s Grade Two Mitie Kennel Gate Novices’ Hurdle and BGC Noel Novices’ Chase whetting the appetite for some top-class fare on Saturday.
