Musselburgh and Lingfield get green light

Today's meeting at Lingfield and Sunday’s meeting at Musselburgh are set to go ahead as scheduled.

Course officials at Musselburgh cancelled a planned inspection following a mild night.

The Scottish track was frozen and unraceable on Friday morning, prompting clerk of the course Harriet Graham to announce a 3pm inspection on Saturday afternoon.

But temperatures have risen sooner than anticipated and with the frost now completely gone, Graham has been able to make an early decision.

She said: “We have no problems at all for tomorrow and we’ve cancelled the inspection.

“It was plus 7C overnight and this morning and we’ve had some rain as well.

“It’s amazing how quickly the frost disappears once you get some rain and higher temperatures.”

This afternoon’s meeting at Lingfield will go ahead as scheduled after only minimal rainfall fell at the track overnight.

Conditions at the Surrey course were already described as heavy on Friday afternoon and with more rain forecast, clerk of the course Neil Mackenzie Ross called a precautionary inspection for 7.30am.

However, he has been able to make an early decision and give the National Hunt fixture the green light.

Mackenzie Ross said: “It’s heavy ground but we’re raceable.

“We had a few showers overnight and we’re expecting a few more blustery showers later today.

“We’ve had just under 23 millimetres of rain in the last 24 hours, but thankfully we’re fine to race.”

A seven-race card at Lingfield gets under way at 12pm, with the Grade Two RSA Novices’ Trial Chase (1.45) taking centre stage.