Fairyhouse desperate to beat freeze

Fairyhouse’s acting racecourse manager Peter Roe has vowed to do everything in his power to ensure Sunday’s high-profile meeting goes ahead.

The County Meath track is also due to stage racing on Saturday but three Grade One events are scheduled for the following day.

“It’s due to be below freezing overnight and not go much above it during the day, so we’re keeping a very close eye on what the weather is going to throw at us,” Roe told At The Races.

“It’s such a great card on Sunday, so we’ll be going all out to make sure it takes place.

“The forecast is starting to give us some cause for concern, but at this stage we’d still be positive we’ll be racing Sunday.

“Sunday is our centrepiece and if we thought that forsaking Saturday would help Sunday, we would consider it.

“The last thing we want to do is to race on Saturday and open the ground up for Sunday, so we have to look at that.

“The front and back of all our hurdles and fences will be protected and there is a good cover of grass.

“We might have an inspection on Friday ahead of Saturday’s meeting.”