Monday inspection for Hereford but frozen Leicester and Sedgefield positive

The weather has wreaked havoc with racing's schedule in recent days and that could continue into next week with Hereford the latest course to announce an inspection for its Monday meeting.

The ground was described on Sunday as heavy, frozen in places and frost covers have been deployed across the course in an attempt to make sure the ground is raceable.

The temperature dropped to -4C on Saturday night and officials will hold a 7.30am inspection to asses conditions despite the promise of milder temperatures on Sunday evening.

Hereford card

Officials at Leicester are hoping the milder weather signals an end to the chills that have rendered areas of the hurdles and chase tracks frozen.

The Midlands venue is set race on Wednesday and clerk of the course James Stevenson is confident the meeting will go ahead as planned with the worst of the cold weather now in the rear-view mirror.

He said on Sunday: "We were frozen again this morning so we would not have raced today but it's clouding over and that should be the last of the frosts now. So that's positive.

"It's turning milder and more unsettled next week. So hopefully we don't have too much rain and then we should be up and running."

The track at Sedgefield is also frozen but Stevenson's counterpart there Michael Naughton is expecting warmer conditions and forecast rain next week to assist Friday's fixture.

"It has started thawing already," Naughton said. "The snow over the weekend froze on the track and it therefore didn't have the opportunity to thaw.

"That has stated to shift now so we are hopeful. It'll be testing ground, no doubt about that. We are due freezing weather on Wednesday night but the temperatures either side of that look good."

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