Cheltenham cover up

Cheltenham have taken the decision to deploy frost covers over the entire track ahead of their meeting on New Year’s Day.

The Prestbury Park venue escaped the snow that was forecast overnight but it was hit by 22 millimetres of rain turning the ground soft, heavy in places.

Temperatures on New Year’s Eve are set to dip below freezing though, so officials have taken the decision to use the covers, which helped in saving Kempton’s Christmas meeting.

Clerk of the course Simon Claisse said: “With forecasts suggesting temperatures of minus four degrees on Thursday night and the absence of any snow last night, we are deploying the frost covers today to give us the best chance of racing on Friday.

“If the forecasts prove correct, we would be confident of racing on New Year’s Day.”