Sandown to monitor high winds for Tingle Creek day with 40-50mph gusts forecast and Met Office weather warning in place

Sandown officials will be monitoring forecast high winds for Saturday’s Betfair Tingle Creek Chase day and have not ruled out an inspection on raceday morning.

A Met Office yellow weather warning is in place from Friday afternoon through to Sunday for strong winds associated with Storm Darragh.

There are no concerns for Friday’s card at the Esher track but clerk of the course Andrew Cooper admits there could potentially be a cause to inspect on Saturday morning if the forecast for gusts around 40mph to 50mph remains in place.

The going is described as soft on the hurdle course and good to soft, soft in places on the chase course, with some good in places in the back straight.

Cooper said: “The rainfall amount has been scaled down a bit for Saturday, so it looks now that the wind situation might be the biggest concern in the south of England and it potentially could be an issue.

“The coast will be worse than inland for all we're not too far away. I'm seeing talk of 40 to 50mph gusts and I would usually start twitching a bit when we get to 50mph. It's clearly going to be windy but it's just about how much and the exact timings of it.

“It's too early to start making predictions as it's such a volatile forecast. We won't announce an inspection yet as it's far too premature but if we're still looking at the potential scenarios by Friday morning then I imagine we might need to take stock of things on Saturday morning. It’s a situation we’ll have to monitor.”

Aintree: Becher Chase is expected to be run on soft, heavy in placesCredit: John Grossick (racingpost.com/photos)

The Becher Chase is expected to be run on soft, heavy in places on Aintree’s Grand National course on Saturday with a wet outlook at the Merseyside track.

The hurdles and chase course could ease from soft, with rain forecast on Friday and throughout the raceday.

Joint-clerk of the course Daniel Cooper said: “There is the prospect of more rain before Saturday and on raceday and at times it will be heavy. We are set for a dry morning on Friday before the rain comes around lunchtime, so it helps that it is not constant rainfall.”

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