Leicester's ITV4 fixture called off after unexpected rain

Tuesday's fixture at Leicester, which was set to include two races live on ITV4, has been called off due to heavy rain leaving the course waterlogged.

The going was changed to heavy, soft in places earlier this morning following 3mm of rain overnight. However, it continued to rain from 6.30am onwards, which was not in the forecast, which forced the cancellation of the seven-race jumps card.

The two final races, the Pertemps-sponsored Silver Fox and Bronze Fox, were due to supplement ITV4's live action from Leopardstown and Catterick.

ITV4 will now show an additional race from Leopardstown, the Midland Legal Solicitors INH Flat Race at 3.30.

ITV Racing tips: one key runner from each of the seven races on ITV4 on Tuesday

"It's a real shame," said clerk of the course Jimmy Stevenson. "It is what it is, we've had a look and the ground just isn't safe and there's water lying all over. It's not stopped raining since 6.30am this morning, which wasn't forecast and it was heavy ground already so we knew we didn't have a lot of space.

"It's our biggest jumps fixture of the season too, I don't know how many we would've had because of Covid but I'm sure it would have been a decent crowd too."

Janidil attracts support in Ireland

Willie Mullins trained a surprise winner of the King George on Boxing Day and now stablemate Janidil is the one being fancied to upset hot favourite A Plus Tard in this afternoon's Savills Chase (2.20).

The seven-year-old has not raced over three miles since finishing fifth in a vintage Albert Bartlett in 2020, won by Mullins' top prospect Monkfish, but heads to Leopardstown following a fine second in the John Durkan.

His price has shortened to 7-1 (from 8), although he was available as high as 12-1 on Boxing Day. A Plus Tard is a general 4-7 favourite while Galvin has been a notable drifter and can be backed at 9-1.

Janidil: now 7-1 for the Savills ChaseCredit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

Janidil's stamina will be put to the test after the ground was eased this morning to yielding, good to yielding on the chase track.

Conditions were eased to soft, yielding in places on the hurdles course which could explain why Klassical Dream has shortened at the head of the betting in the other Grade 1 contest of the day, the Dornan Engineering Christmas Hurdle (1.45).

He landed the 2020 Supreme Novices' Hurdle on soft ground before bursting clear on his first start at the three-mile trip at last season's Punchestown festival.

Klassical Dream has been clipped into 7-4 (from 2) while Stayers' Hurdle winner Flooring Porter is out to 3-1 (from 5-2). Meanwhile, there has also been support for Burning Victory, who is 20-1 (from 28).

Elsewhere, Fury Road is a notable absentee in the Ballymaloe Relish Beginners Chase (2.55). Galopin Des Champs remains an 8-13 chance to strike on his first start over fences.

It should stay dry throughout the day and a rail movement provides fresh ground on the hurdles track.

Lorcan Wyer, clerk of the course at Leopardstown, said: "We had 12mm overnight and going now on the whole of the bumper (and hurdles) track is soft, yielding in places. It won't ride too bad for races one and two and then it'll open up a bit, but it won't be too bad.

"We did a bit of watering on the chase track and combined with the overnight rain it's now yielding, good to yielding in places.

"There's no rail movement on the chase track, we'll use the same alignment as the last two days, but we've stepped right in on the hurdles course - it's a fresh hurdles track.

"It'll be generally dry for racing today, there looks to be some rain in the early hours of Wednesday. We'll get about 5mm but it'll be dry for racing tomorrow.

Leopardstown market movers

12.00
Horantzau Dairy Evs (from 6-5)

12.35
The Dasher Conway 5-1 (from 10)

1.45
Klassical Dream 7-4 (from 2)
Burning Victory 20-1 (from 28)

2.20
Janidil 7-1 (from 8)

3.30
Bravo Team 5-1 (from 7)

Leopardstown non-runners

12.00 18 Shillwantfornotin
12.35 20 Mylestown Upper, 29 Jake Peter Breezy Bell
1.10 21 Port Stanley, 29 Ardhill, 30 Ballycastle Girl
2.55 6 Fury Road
3.30 2 Healthisyourwealth

Tuesday's race previews:

1.10 Leopardstown: Aidan Coleman bids for first Irish winner on class-act Gentlemansgame

1.45 Leopardstown: Gordon Elliott hoping for magic from Abacadabras as he steps up to staying grade

2.00 Catterick: 'He's up in trip but should be suited by it' - Findthetime bids for follow-up

2.20 Leopardstown: 'A Plus Tard was great at Haydock and did everything very professionally'

2.20 Leopardstown analysis: Red-hot Cheltenham Gold Cup favourite A Plus Tard should get the job done

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