John Durkan card in major doubt with Punchestown unraceable due to severe frost

Punchestown's Sunday card, which features the John Durkan Chase (2.00), is subject to an inspection at midday on Saturday with the course unraceable following overnight snow and a severe frost.

The fixture, which could feature the return of Galopin Des Champs in the Grade 1, is in serious doubt with more temperatures below freezing forecast on Friday and Saturday night.

Clerk of the course Lorcan Wyer said on Friday: "Following overnight snow and severe frost, Punchestown is unraceable. With the forecast remaining cold for the next few days and severe frost each night we will have an official inspection at 12pm on Saturday in advance of racing on Sunday."

Ireland's other star fixture at Cork, which is due to feature Champion Chaser Energumene's return in the Grade 2 Hilly Way Chase (2.20), must pass an inspection at the same time on Saturday.

The ground at the track was, on Friday, yielding to soft, soft in places with low temperatures and an overnight frost forecast.

Saturday's fixture at Navan has been cancelled after the track failed an inspection at midday on Friday.

The card, which was due to feature the Grade 3 Klairon Davis Novice Chase, will not go ahead with the ground frozen and a further frost expected overnight. Discussions were held about rescheduling the meeting, however racecourse manager Aidan McGarry has confirmed that will not happen.

"The meeting is not going to be rescheduled", said McGarry. "Next week's forecast is also quite negative so we've had to weigh up the practicalities."

Clerk of the course Paddy Graffin said on Friday: "We had quite severe temperatures last night down to -4C overnight. There's frost in the ground from where we've raced before.

"We're unfit to race and given the forecast overnight, it's not sufficient enough for racing to go ahead tomorrow."

Doncaster’s Saturday card must survive a 9.30am inspection to go ahead. The course was re-covered after racing finished on Friday to protect against a forecast overnight low of -3C.

Hereford inspect at 7.30am for Saturday’s meeting. The temperature was forecast to drop to -4C overnight at the course which has been covered with frost sheets.

Carlisle's Sunday card was cancelled on Friday morning due to a frozen track, while Market Rasen's fixture on Monday must survive a midday inspection on Sunday.

Areas of ground on the Lincolnshire track were already frozen on Friday, and lows of -3C are expected for three consecutive nights.

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Which tracks are inspecting and how are things looking this week?

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