Punchestown, Fakenham and Hereford pass early checks

Today’s meeting at Punchestown goes ahead – although the opening Glenfarclas P.P. Hogan Memorial Cross Country Chase has been cancelled.

Officials held an 8am inspection due to the forecast of severe overnight frost, but as that failed to materialise, the remainder of the card will take place as scheduled.

Due to the abandonment of the cross country race, the first race will now be the Boylesports.com Tied Cottage Chase, due off at 1.50pm.

Meanwhile today’s National Hunt meeting at Fakenham will go ahead as scheduled after course officials cancelled their planned 8am inspection.

Clerk of the course David Hunter had intended to check the course due to the possibility of frost overnight.

However, temperatures failed to drop below zero and Hunter was able to give the fixture the green light without the need for an official check.

Hunter said: “We’re set to race as we had no frost overnight and temperatures only got down to plus 2C.

“It actually feels colder now than it did at 4am, but we’re racing, which is great news.”

Today’s meeting at Hereford also goes ahead after officials brought forward their planned 8.30am inspection.

Course officials had been concerned about potential sub-zero temperatures overnight but clerk of the course Keith Ottesen is pleased to report there is no frost in the ground.

He said: “There is no frost and racing goes ahead.

“It was zero at 6am and it hovered around that temperature for much of the night.

“We covered the track on Wednesday and thankfully, it has done its job well.”