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Three courses must pass Wednesday inspections with Carlisle already off

Ludlow will be one of three jumps tracks in Britain and Ireland to hold inspections on Wednesday morning
Ludlow will be one of three jumps tracks in Britain and Ireland to hold inspections on Wednesday morningCredit: Edward Whitaker

Carlisle's meeting on Wednesday became the latest victim of the cold snap after officials gave up hope on Tuesday afternoon of the course recovering from snow and a forecast frost.

The chances of jump racing taking place anywhere in Britain or Ireland on Wednesday rest with Ludlow, Fakenham and Fairyhouse, all of which are subject to inspections.

After the loss of Sedgefield and Carlisle the prospects for a resumption in the north on Thursday seem brighter, with Doncaster reporting rising temperatures.

But Huntingdon's card the same day – which features the Sydney Banks Memorial Novices' Hurdle – could be in trouble if overnight temperatures continue to dip.

Newbury's Betfair Hurdle card on Saturday is under no threat as things stand, although the entire course has been covered.

Wednesday inspections

Fakenham will be the first course in Britain to take a look, at 7am. Clerk of the course David Hunter said on Tuesday afternoon: "We'd have raced today and go into this evening with no snow and no frost on the ground.

"We've got 2-3mm of snow forecast this evening and a temperature of -1C. But we could have more snow and a deep frost, or alternatively no snow and no frost."

Fairyhouse operations manager Gillian Carey said: "We'll hold an inspection at 7.30am due to forecast overnight frost."

And at 8am Ludlow's Simon Sherwood will take his turn, saying on Tuesday: "We had no frost this morning and it's remained just above freezing.

"It's due to drop down to anywhere between -2C and -5C overnight. If the forecasters have got it as wrong as they did last night then we should be fine, but if it gets to the bottom end of that range we could be struggling."

Further ahead

Huntingdon's Jack Pryor will be hoping Wednesday night is kinder than is potentially forecast before Thursday's meeting.

"It's currently raceable and we've fleece down on both racing lines, so it really is a case of how cold it gets Wednesday into Thursday."

Newbury clerk Richard Osgood said: "I'm a lot happier now than I was on Friday last week. The forecast has gone a little bit milder than it was."


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Scott BurtonFrance correspondent

Published on 6 February 2018inNews

Last updated 07:30, 7 February 2018

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