No weather problems for St Stephen's Day cards
Racing enthusiasts can look forward to a bumper day of action tomorrow with all 11 meetings in Britain and Ireland set to go ahead.
The undoubted highlight of the St Stephen's Day bonanza is the King George VI Chase at Kempton, while the Christmas Hurdle provides able support on a fantastic afternoon of sport at the Sunbury venue.
“The hurdle track is probably riding on the slow side of good and the chase course is just genuine good ground,” said clerk of the course Brian Clifford.
“It’s clear skies here at the moment and we are supposed to get a bit of cloud cover later on. Temperatures are only set to get down to two degrees tonight, rising to three of four degrees on St Stephen's Day.
“I believe there is a colder wind coming through so it will feel cold at the races but I don’t anticipate any problems.”
Clifford, a former jump jockey, has been kept especially busy over the festive period after giving Noel Meade’s Christmas Hurdle contender Harchibald a workout both on Christmas Eve and this morning.
“I had a spin on Harchibald this morning and he seems in great form,” said Clifford.
“I said to Noel that you would get your license back out to ride horses like him and he gives you a great feel. He is just a gentleman of a horse.”
Wetherby stage a high-profile card with the skybet.com Rowland Meyrick Handicap Chase taking top billing in West Yorkshire.
Clerk of the course Jonjo Sanderson said: “Everything should be spot on and we are really looking forward to what should be a cracking day.
“It could get down to four degrees overnight so it is nothing dramatic and it might get to six degrees tomorrow so nothing is concerning us at this stage.
“The Rowland Meyrick looks a great race with Tidal Bay in there, Mister McGoldrick is a course specialist and we have the Charlie Hall one-two in State Of Play and Ollie Magern.”
National Hunt meetings at Market Rasen, Huntingdon, Towcester, Sedgefield and Wincanton are all set fair for racing with a relatively mild night anticipated.
Market Rasen clerk of the course Nick Patton said: “Everything is looking fine and we have a dry forecast so it is good to have no weather worries.
“We do want everyone to leave in good time as we have one or two travel problems but we are looking forward to a good competitive days racing.”
Huntingdon’s Andrew Morris added: “We should be absolutely fine as we are forecast highs of six or seven degrees today and the lowest temperature we could get down to tonight is plus one.”
All-weather action at Wolverhampton completes the British line-up, while there are no reported problems for the the three Irish cards at Down Royal, Leopardstown and Limerick.
