Ffos Las have some hope

Officials at Ffos Las are praying for a rise in temperatures ahead of their high-profile meeting on Saturday.

The Carmarthenshire venue is set to stage the SIS Live Welsh Champion Hurdle, the intended target of last season’s Champion Punjabi, and could have the best chance of racing taking place on turf this week.

However, the track is currently unraceable and clerk of the course Tim Long is hoping for a thaw so officials can cover the entire course on Friday.

“We couldn’t race at the moment and had minus six last night. Although we’ve got the take-offs and landings protected, we have got frost in the ground,” Long told At The Races.

“It is starting to warm up here now but we are forecast another sharp frost tonight, which is a bit of a concern.

“Thereafter, temperatures are forecast to be not quite so low. We’re just hoping Wednesday and Thursday are less cold and then we can sheet completely to give us every chance on Saturday.

“As well as the cold temperatures there is the possibility of snow towards the end of the week so if we got snow on top of the covers that would be an additional problem.

“We can only take it day by day but we can’t put the covers down while the ground is frozen as that would only keep the frost in the ground. We’ll do the best we can."