Exeter goes ahead with hurdle and bumper races as chase track is unraceable

Exeter has cancelled its three chase races due to frost but will go ahead with a card consisting four races over hurdles and a bumper after a second Sunday morning inspection.

The hurdles course passed an 8.30am inspection following significant improvement in conditions after a night of milder temperatures, but concerns remained over frozen areas of the chase track.

Another inspection had been scheduled for 11am but with temperatures not rising highly enough to see improvement on the chase track, a final decision was brought forward.

It means jumps racing will go ahead in Britain for the first time in seven days after a week of freezing temperatures which has caused havoc with the racing schedule.

Clerk of the course Daniel Cooper said: "We haven’t seen any improvement on the chase course since I first walked it at 5.30am. It’s only takeoffs and landings that are the issue but I don’t foresee an improvement so there is no point mulling over it and wasting everyone’s time."

"On the basis of the hurdles course being fine we are happy to proceed with a five-race card for the good of the horse population.

"It’s a total relief just to have racing on. It’s going to be a wet day here and that rain is part of the reason we’re going ahead fine as its defrosted most of the ground."

Sunday’s previews

Exeter: Cheltenham champion and virtual Grand National winner on course for showdown

2.00 Punchestown: Thedevilscoachman out to enhance Supreme claims in Listed race

4.30 Punchestown: The Big Dog primed to land big pot in Punchestown Grand National trial

The remaining races, which will all go ahead at the same scheduled time, include a Listed novice hurdle and a Pertemps qualifier which has Welsh Grand National winner Potters Corner in the field.

Jumps action will also go ahead at Punchestown, although officials are monitoring conditions ahead of Sunday's meeting with wind posing a threat to the fixture.

A yellow weather warning has been by Met Eireann for raceday, which is due to feature the Grade B Punchestown Grand National Trial (4.30).

Clerk of the course Brendan Sheridan said: "Thankfully the wind is similar to what it was earlier and hopefully going forward that's the way it will stay. We'll have further updates if anything changes but at the moment we are all good to go.

Sunday's racecards

Warwick hopeful but inspection called

Warwick will hold a 3pm inspection on Sunday ahead of its seven-race card on Monday, which is headlined by the Grade 2 Kingmaker Novices' Chase ().

The meeting was rescheduled from Saturday due to frozen ground but clerk of the course Jane Hedley is confident racing will go ahead as conditions continue to improve.

Hedley said on Saturday: "We're getting warmer through Saturday and into Sunday. It is getting milder all the time and it should get to around 5C by Sunday afternoon.

"We have a band of rain coming through on Sunday night, with temperatures continuing to climb up towards 10C just prior to racing on Monday.

"There are areas of ground under the covers, and with a good covering of grass, which are not far off thawed now [Saturday morning]. Some bare areas of the back straight need some thawing but in 24-48 hours they should be grand."

Carlisle's Tuesday fixture faces inspection

Carlisle inspects at 3pm on Monday for Tuesday with the ground frozen after six nights of consecutive frosts at the track.

Clerk of the course Kirkland Tellwright said on Saturday afternoon: "The thaw is due to start tomorrow morning and there's no frost after that, so it's just a question of what wins the race and whether the thaw is complete in time for racing or whether there's still frost in the ground.

"We're in with a good shout. We've an inspection at 3pm on Monday and, if necessary, we could go again on Tuesday morning. If it was hopeless on Monday afternoon we'd abandon ship then, but if there's a bit of frost let we could roll the inspection on, although that might be gone by Monday."

Weather prospects

Sunday

Exeter
Soft
Outlook: Chase races cancelled following second morning inspection but racing will go ahead with all-hurdles and bumper card

Punchestown
Soft
Outlook: Unsettled over the weekend with rain forecast, officials monitoring strong wind conditions

Southwell
Standard to slow

Monday

Lingfield (jumpers’ bumpers)

Standard to slow
Outlook: Becoming milder on Sunday with some showers in the evening and temperatures rising again on Monday

Thurles
Currently unraceable due to snow
Outlook: Rain on Sunday but temperatures could rise to 11C on Sunday and Monday

Warwick
Soft
Currently frozen in places, frost covers deployed
Outlook: Inspection 3pm Sunday. Hard frost expected on Saturday but milder from Sunday, rising to 5C by the end of the day. Increasingly mild with a band of rain overnight into Monday with temperatures of up to 10C by lunchtime

Wolverhampton
Standard

Tuesday

Carlisle
Frozen (was heavy)
Outlook: Inspection 3pm Monday. Thaw due from Sunday

Catterick
Soft, frozen in places with a one inch snow covering
Outlook: Temperatures rising slowly through Sunday with the chance of light rain/sleet. Monday milder.

Kempton
Standard to slow

Newcastle
Standard to slow
Outlook: course to be ripped up before racing. Freezing temperatures over the weekend but milder on Monday and Tuesday.

Wednesday

Hereford
Soft, frozen in places
Outlook: Temperatures slowly rising to 2C on Sunday. Milder with showers during the week

Kempton
Standard to slow

Wetherby
Heavy, soft in places, frozen in places
Outlook: From Sunday onwards a rise in temps through to 10C-12C is expected. Rain is forecast on Sunday night and Tuesday at the moment, otherwise dry and sunny spells

Wolverhampton
Standard

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