Northern trainers have every right to feel they've been given the cold shoulder

The recent cold snap has made life tough for all jumps trainers but spare a thought for those based in the north of England and Scotland who have been desperately short of opportunities.

One clerk of the course pointed out that this month's freeze has been the worst since 2010 – and longer than the 'Beast from the East' four years ago – and nowhere have the implications for racing been felt more than in the north.

When Ayr races on Thursday, it will be the first jumps meeting in Scotland since Musselburgh on December 5 and during that time only two fixtures, at Newcastle on December 8 and Doncaster the following day, have taken place over jumps in the north.