Kempton to go ahead

This afternoon’s meeting at Kempton goes ahead after the track passed an 8am inspection.

The track were forced to abandon Friday’s meeting due to snow but despite temperatures dropping below freezing overnight, clerk of the course Brian Clifford has given the meeting the thumbs up.

Tony McCoy is set to continue his chase for a 3,000th career success at the venue while Cheltenham Gold Cup hero Denman makes his seasonal bow.

Kempton decided to cover the track last Friday and although that decision did not pay off yesterday, the track has certainly reaped the rewards for this transferred meeting.

Clifford told Channel 4 Racing: “Without Jockey Club Racecourses’ investment in the covers, this would not have been possible.

“We have got the transferred Levy Board Chase and Tony McCoy chasing his 3,000th winner – what a day.”

McCoy is looking forward to getting back in the saddle after having his pursuit of the landmark interrupted by the weather, but he is far from confident of achieving the feat today.

He said: “There’s just been a few days during the week. I had good rides at Southwell and Carlisle and a couple of odds-on chances at Sedgefield and Huntingdon and they all went.

“Obviously I was supposed to go to Bangor yesterday but the horses were snowed in so the ones today were a little bit of an afterthought really.”