Leopardstown on course to beat the weather as cards in Britain continue to fall

Leopardstown is likely to beat the cold weather and stage this weekend's Dublin Racing Festival, with bookmakers Paddy Power offering 1-33 day one of the meeting on Saturday goes ahead.

However, officials have announced the running order will be amended on Saturday in a bid to beat the cold weather which has played havoc with the schedule in Britain this week.

A statement released by Leopardstown's operations manager David Attwood on Thursday said: "The track is currently frost free and has been raceable all week. However, in view of the likelihood of frost on Friday night, we have decided to amend the order of running for Saturday with the hurdles and bumper taking place earlier on the card.

"We will issue a further going report tomorrow morning and there will be a review of the track early on Saturday morning."

The going at Leopardstown remains good to yielding on the hurdles course and good on the chase track. Rain and sleet is due to clear on Thursday evening with temperatures remaining cold and frosty at night.

Saturday's feature meeting in Britain is due to be staged at Sandown, with the highlight the Grade 1 Scilly Isles Novices' Chase. However, the outlook is less positive.

Paddy Power offer 4-7 racing does not go ahead and 5-4 it does.

The frost has caused havoc to the turf programme in recent days with cancellations to racing at Leicester and Plumpton on Wednesday and Fakenham and Wincanton on Thursday.

There will be no jump racing on Friday as the meetings at Chepstow and Catterick have also been called off.

The last jumps meeting to take place in Britain was at Newcastle on Tuesday.

Musselburgh falls

Musselburgh was dealt a huge blow as this weekend's Scottish Cheltenham Trials meeting was cancelled after temperatures plummeted to -7C on Wednesday night.

Musselburgh clerk of the course Harriet Graham said on Thursday: "We have tried really hard to get this meeting on, putting fleeces on the whole course, but unfortunately with temperatures as low as -7C last night and the night before, the frost has got underneath the fleece and there is no prospect temperatures rising enough over the next few days for us to get racing on Saturday or Sunday.

"It is such a great shame as we had a very exciting weekend ahead of us, but we just can’t beat the weather I am afraid."

Wetherby, which lost a meeting last week to the frost, has announced an inspection for Saturday's card will take place at 8am on Friday morning. Temperatures were as low as -6C last night and the course is frozen in places with a further cold night expected. The course, due to host the Grade 2 Towton Novices’ Chase, could not have raced on Thursday.

The BHA has scheduled an additional fixture at Chelmsford on Saturday due to concern over the weekend turf fixtures. Entries for the six-race card closed at noon on Thursday with declarations on Friday by 10am.

Weather prospects

Thursday

Fakenham Cancelled

Wincanton Cancelled

Friday

Catterick Cancelled

Chepstow Cancelled

Saturday

Musselburgh Cancelled

Sandown Cold and frosty outlook with potential for snow on Thursday afternoon

Wetherby Inspection 8am Friday morning. Track currently frozen in places after low of -6C on Wednesday night, with another cold night forecast.

Leopardstown Rain and sleet moving in on Thursday morning with the possibility of 10mm. Clearing on Thursday night and should be dry for the rest of the week and into the weekend. Temperatures remaining cold up to and including the weekend with frost at night

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