Warwick's Kingmaker card to move to Monday if weather claims Saturday fixture

Exciting novice chaser Allmankind could add a touch of class to Monday's action if Warwick's Kingmaker meeting on Saturday is called off at Friday morning's inspection.

A contingency plan to move the fixture to Monday was agreed by track officials and the BHA on Thursday as clerk of the course Jane Hedley announced a second inspection for 8.30am on Friday.

The going was described as soft, heavy in places under the frost covers, but the forecast is not promising.

Hedley said: "If the forecasts play out to be right and we stay at a maximum of 1C and then -3C into Saturday, I think it's going to be really difficult, but we're close enough at the moment.

"If we were to see the forecast two or three degrees better than it is, then we'd have half a chance, we're going to give it until tomorrow morning and look again then. It's too early to call it off on the forecast."

The scene at a chilly Newcastle on Thursday eveningCredit: Mike Egerton (Getty Images)

Unbeaten in two starts over fences, including Sandown's Grade 1 Henry VII Novices' Chase, the Dan Skelton-trained Allmankind is due to run in the Agetur UK Kingmaker Novices' Chase, the highlight of Warwick's card, but connections will have to declare him again on Saturday morning for Monday's new date should the original fixture be called off.

The revitalised Sky Pirate adds intrigue to the Kingmaker, which has a high-class roll of honour featuring Flagship Uberalles, Voy Por Ustedes, Long Run and Finian's Rainbow.

Allmankind is a general 10-1 shot behind big-name rivals Shishkin and Energumene for the Sporting Life Arkle at Cheltenham next month.

The festival might also be the dream for the promising Lecale's Article, who runs in the Shishkin colours of Marie and Joe Donnelly.

Like Shishkin, he is trained by Nicky Henderson and was also declared for Warwick, where his festival credentials may be tested in the novice hurdle.

Before that, Chelmsford will inspect at 8am on Friday for its card later the same day following what officials described as a "good covering of snow [3-4cm]" and an outlook featuring sub-zero temperatures.

Lingfield was due to host a jumps meeting on Monday, but that also fell to the weather on Thursday when the course was found to be waterlogged and frozen.

An all-weather jumpers' bumper card will take its place instead, while racing at Thurles - lost on Thursday because of snow - has been rescued and moved to Monday afternoon.

Lingfield, Chelmsford and Wolverhampton stage all-weather Flat fixtures on Saturday, when Naas is scheduled to race in Ireland, while Punchestown takes centre stage on Sunday.

Jumping is also pencilled in for Exeter on Sunday with the going described as soft, frozen in places on Thursday afternoon with an inspection scheduled for 8.30am on raceday morning.

Weather prospects for jumps meetings

Friday

Bangor
Cancelled (waterlogged)

Chelmsford
Standard
Outlook: Inspection 8am Friday. Covering of snow and sub-zero temperatures forecast.

Dundalk
Standard

Southwell
Standard to slow
Outlook: Remaining cold through to racing with temperatures to drop to -5C overnight. Sunny intervals Friday at 0C.

Saturday

Chelmsford
Standard
Outlook: Inspection 8am Friday. Covering of snow and sub-zero temperatures forecast.

Lingfield
Standard
Outlook: Will struggle to rise above freezing all week. Wednesday evening will get down to -7C and currently -4C on Friday evening, with highs of 0C on raceday.

Naas
Soft (Hurdle) Soft to heavy (Chase)
Outlook: Yellow weather warning in place with snow forecast Thursday night into Friday.

Newbury
Soft, frozen in places under frost covers.
Outlook: Inspection 8.30am Friday.

Warwick
Soft, heavy in places
Outlook: Inspection 8.30am Friday. Currently largely raceable but need forecasts to improve.

Sunday

Exeter
Soft, frozen in places
Outlook: Inspection 8.30am Sunday. Snow showers
are forecast Friday and Saturday. Temperatures are forecast to rise on Sunday but this may not give the track enough time to
thaw.

Punchestown
Soft to Heavy
Outlook: Unsettled forecast remaining cold with snow showers until Friday. Remaining unsettled over the weekend with rain forecast.

Southwell
Standard to slow

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