Folkestone make early check

Officials at Folkestone are optimistic the track will be frost-free to allow tomorrow’s meeting to go ahead.

An inspection has been called for 7.30am as the course is still frozen in places but temperatures are expected to stay at around eight degrees.

“It’s a case of simply being safe rather than sorry. We are very hopeful that the frost will come out of the ground,” said clerk of the course Neil Mackenzie-Ross.

“The hurdles course is almost entirely raceable, but there are still some areas of the chase course that are frozen.

“Temperatures are up at about eight degrees. We’ve got some light rain with us now but temperatures due to remain around eight overnight with a similar forecast tomorrow.

“Since we raced on January 2, we have essentially been frozen. We’ve got frozen ground on top of raced-on ground, so it’s not been easy to get the track back.”

The going is described as soft on the hurdles course and good to soft on the chase course and frozen in places.