All-weather boost for racing
With the cold snap continuing the decimate the racing fixture list, the British Horseracing Authority have moved to lessen the damage by adding three further all-weather fixtures for next week.
There will be no National Hunt racing in Britain until Tuesday at the earliest with a combination of snow and frost leading to countless abandonments, so BHA officials have added fixtures at Kempton, Lingfield and Southwell.
Kempton’s Monday card will be made up of six races and entries will close at noon tomorrow. Declarations must be made by 10am on Saturday.
Additional meetings will also be staged at Lingfield on Tuesday and Southwell on Wednesday, although the details of those cards have yet to be confirmed.
While further all-weather fixtures have been organised, the abandonment of today’s meetings at Lingfield and Kempton are proof that not even they are guaranteed to go ahead.
Although the surface at both venues was raceable, the meetings had to be called off due to a shortage of ambulances.
The widespread treacherous conditions have led to a prioritising of National Health Service resources.
Kempton clerk of the course Barney Clifford said: “In the eyes of the NHS Trust, the country is on red alert.
“They therefore had to issue a ’force majeure’ which meant we were unable to be provided with ambulances.
“It’s such a shame as the course is perfectly raceable.”
Lingfield clerk of the course Neil MacKenzie Ross added: “The Ambulance Service has been called into a state of emergency so they cannot attend the course.
“We obviously can’t operate without the necessary safety precautions so the decision was taken out of our hands really.”
Lingfield are due to race again on Friday and MacKenzie Ross is pleased to report ambulances have been arranged and officials are now keeping their fingers crossed the weather does not deteriorate.
Southwell should race on Friday after coming through Thursday’s fixture without any problems, while officials at Wolverhampton will stage an 8.30am inspection to assess the prospects of racing at Dunstall Park.
Saturday’s valuable National Hunt card at Ffos Las has already fallen by the wayside with frost and snow currently taking hold at the Welsh venue.
Clerk of the course Tim Long said: “We gave it every chance, but we half-knew our fate yesterday.
“The next two nights are going to be very cold again so we realistically had little chance.
“We’ve still got a partial covering of snow, which is not going anywhere, so it was pointless delaying our decision.”
The news comes as a blow to the track, who were due to stage the rearranged Blue Square Tolworth Hurdle and the SIS Live Welsh Champion Hurdle.
Monday’s meetings at Ayr and Taunton have also been called off, while Newcastle need a ’small miracle’ to race on Tuesday.
Ayr clerk of the course Hazel Peplinski said: “Temperatures got down to minus 9C last night and we think there is around six inches of frost in the ground.
“It’s as bad as I’ve ever known it.”
Michael Trickey, clerk of the course at Taunton, added: “We are covered in snow, the course is frozen and the forecast tells us it could get down to minus 9C tonight.
“We’ve got no chance and the sensible decision is just to call it off now.”
Newcastle will stage a noon inspection on Sunday ahead of Tuesday’s card, but clerk of the course James Armstrong does not hold out much hope.
“There is almost a foot of snow on the track and every night we seem to be getting an inch or two more,” said Armstrong.
“We need a small miracle at this stage.”
The picture is no brighter in Ireland with officials at Leopardstown forced to cancel Sunday’s quality card, although officials are looking into the possibility of rescheduling.
