Conflicting forecasts offer some hope major Saturday meetings at Ascot and Haydock could survive cold snap

Conflicting forecasts towards the end of the week are giving some hope that Saturday's big meetings at Ascot and Haydock can escape the cold snap. 

With the Met Office issuing yellow weather warnings for large parts of Britain, racecourses are bracing themselves for freezing temperatures with inspections already called for some meetings and the likelihood of more to follow.

Officials at Ascot and Haydock covered the tracks with frost sheets on Friday and are waiting to find out the severity of the Arctic blast.

The temperature could drop as low as -4C in the build-up to Ascot's Grade 1 BetMGM Clarence House Chase card on Saturday.

• Which tracks are inspecting in Britain and how are things looking for this week's jump racing?

Clerk of the course Chris Stickels said on Monday: "We got down to -1.75C overnight and are good to soft and frost-free under the covers at the moment, but it's a cold forecast with -3C, possibly -4C, in the week.

"There are conflicting forecasts for Saturday, some forecasts are giving it above freezing Friday night into Saturday and others are giving it still freezing then, so we'll have to see how it pans out as the week goes on. 

"We've got frost sheets down but if you get continued cold weather, sometimes the frost can breach through the sheets. We'll have to see if that happens, but until it does we're well protected."

Northern England and Scotland are expected to be hit with the worst of the weather and prospects for Haydock's Sky Bet Peter Marsh Chase meeting are bleaker.

Haydock: facing an uncertain forecast before Saturday's Peter Marsh cardCredit: John Grossick

Clerk of the course Kirkland Tellwright said: "It depends who you go with, the most pessimistic give it no chance but the most optimistic give it some chance. 

"We've got several nights of hard frost so I think it is going to get well into the ground and we'll have to see how things unfold. It's due to get down to -4C to -5C on Wednesday and Thursday, which is serious stuff in mid-January given how short the days are.

"The debating point is when the thaw starts. The Met Office would give you grounds for a bit of optimism but John Kettley, who after all is employed to give us advice specific to Haydock, is more pessimistic."

The first of the week's Premier racedays is scheduled at Lingfield on Friday as the track begins its three-day Winter Million meeting, with jumps fixtures on Friday and Sunday.

Clerk of the course Stephanie Wethered said on Monday: "We've got low temperatures forecast from tonight through to Friday. It's due to be -4C Thursday night into Friday when we're looking at having daytime temperatures of 4C. On Friday night, we're -2C going into Saturday when temperatures are set to increase.

"We put the fleece down on Saturday and are continuing to monitor conditions."

Newbury: "if the forecast is correct it may be a bit of a struggle"Credit: Alan Crowhurst

The plummeting temperatures are causing concern for Wednesday's jumps action, with a decision about inspections for Newbury and Southwell set to be made on Tuesday.  

Newbury's clerk of the course George Hill said on Monday: "We covered the entire track on Friday, but if the forecast is correct it may be a bit of a struggle. 

"We got down to 0C this morning, so there wasn't really any frost, but the coldest night between now and racing is due to be tonight. We're looking at -3C tonight with daytime temperatures quite low at 2C or 3C and then another -2C on Tuesday night into Wednesday morning, with again a daytime high of 2C or 3C in the afternoon." 

Southwell's clerk of the course David Attwood said: "We're 50-50 at the moment and need the forecast to be in our favour.  

"The racing line and bypass line was covered in fleece over the weekend and we got to -1.3C last night. It's currently raceable with temperatures getting up to 3C, which is helpful. 

"We're forecast between -2C and -3C the next two nights and it will very much be how the track reacts to that."

The ground for Wincanton's meeting on Thursday was reported to be frozen in places on Monday with lows of -4C forecast.

The BHA has added an additional all-weather fixture at Chelmsford on Thursday. 

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What's on this week: Premier racing, Lingfield's Winter Million and a blockbuster clash between Jonbon and El Fabiolo 

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