Frozen Musselburgh cancels Thursday card with Clonmel and Ffos Las inspecting

Musselburgh has been forced to cancel its scheduled jumps card on Thursday due to frost, with the meetings at Clonmel and Ffos Las on the same day under threat.

Officials at Musselburgh had brought forward their planned 8am raceday inspection to 4.30pm on Wednesday, and with temperatures continuing to fall and no sign of improvement, the fixture was called off.

With overnight temperatures expected to drop dramatically, officials at Clonmel have called an 8am inspection, while a decision regarding Ffos Las will be taken half an hour later with the ground heavy but raceable at both tracks.

Thursday cards

Musselburgh clerk of the course Bill Farnsworth said: "Temperatures have plummeted to well below zero and the track is starting to freeze up.

"The forecast reads with a maximum temperature of +2C tomorrow so we believe there to be very, very little chance of racing so it was a fairly straightforward decision."

Musselburgh had been working with the BHA on a contingency plan to race next Wednesday, but those hopes have been scuppered after failing to come to an agreement with the local golf course which would have needed to close for the day to comply with local Covid regulations.

"We had put everything together to race next Wednesday but needed the golf course to be closed for the whole day to comply with access and Covid regulations," Farnsworth said.

"The golf course couldn't agree to close because they have exceptionally high demand at the moment due to the lockdown. It's very disappointing but it's entirely up to them. That is their decision and I'm not going to pass judgement on that.

"I have used every ounce of my persuasive powers, even offering money to change their minds. It's disappointing not to be able to put on the extra fixture but we have to be considerate of other people."

There have been a number of cancellations across Britain in the last week and on Tuesday Newcastle and Lingfield were forced to replace their jumps fixtures with all-weather jumpers' bumpers meetings. Ayr and Ludlow were other midweek meetings claimed by the weather.

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