'It's really disappointing' - Kim Bailey left frustrated by late Ayr abandonment

Kim Bailey was left frustrated and disappointed at the late abandonment of Saturday's meeting at Ayr after temperatures failed to rise sufficiently and left the track frozen.

An inspection was called at 11.30am, just 50 minutes before the first race, and a decision was made to cancel the seven-race card shortly before noon.

The forecast predicted highs of 1C, but at 10.30am the temperature was -2C at the Scottish track forcing officials to take a look. By 12pm the temperature had not risen above freezing and the track remained frozen.

Cheltenham-based Bailey had sent two fancied runners up to Ayr, with The Edgar Wallace and Those Tiger Feet arriving on Friday night and the trainer told the track were not envisaging any problems.

He said: "It's really disappointing. They got there last night at 7pm and I was told yesterday that they were very confident we'd be racing. It's very, very frustrating."

Ayr was frozen on SaturdayCredit: John Grossick (racingpost.com/photos)

Clerk of the course Graeme Anderson said: "Temperatures have not risen. It was -4.5C at 7.30am this morning, which was a lot more than we're forecast [-2C], and it was -3C at 9am when we were forecast 1C.

"We couldn't wait any longer to lift the sheets and it exposed more areas that had frozen. Once they came off we were only getting to see the track and that's why we called the inspection so late.

"We're currently at 0C and not going to go up much by 1pm so it's a case of being short of time. We looked at every option, but it wouldn't be feasible and it still might not be raceable in another hour. We gave it every chance, we had the track covered since Monday."

Three races had been scheduled to be broadcast live as part of ITV Racing's coverage. Instead, three races from Cork were broadcast to complement the four contests from Sandown.

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