Lingfield calls early inspection

Tomorrow's meeting at Lingfield will have to pass a 6.30am precautionary inspection due to the threat of snow.

Today's meeting had to be abandoned after an inch of snow fell overnight, making roads around the venue treacherous.

The snow was easing off at noon leaving clerk of the course Neil MacKenzie Ross hopeful the meeting would beat the weather.

"We will have a look at 6.30am but all the signs are positive," said MacKenzie Ross. "The snow is still coming down but it is easing.

"We thought it would be better to be safe than sorry which is why we've called the inspection.

"If the forecasts are correct, we'd be hopeful."

MacKenzie Ross explained: "It's not track-related, it's purely safety-related.

"The snow has not relented and is coming down thick and fast so as soon as we are clearing it, it's laying again.

"The reports of the roads nearby are not good either with a few accidents and gridlock already, so we have abandoned on safety grounds."

The track is due to race tomorrow but MacKenzie Ross will take stock of the situation later today before deciding whether an inspection will be necessary.

He added: "We will take a view on the forecast later in the day.

"This is more snow than we were forecast and there's a lot of work to do so we will see how it looks later today."