Haydock heavy but winter slog not expected by clerk Tellwright

Haydock's showpiece jumps fixture on Saturday will take place on ground described as heavy, but conditions are not expected to be too testing.

That is the view of clerk of the course Kirkland Tellwright, who pointed out the Betfair Chase meeting will be staged on a stretch of turf not used since May.

Four of the track's seven races will be live on ITV1 and Tellwright said on Friday afternoon: "We are heavy on the chase course and heavy, soft in places over hurdles, but it's fresh ground. Today is substantially a dry, bright day.

"There might be a an occasional shower tomorrow, but it's not going to be the attritional ground of January or February here."

Racegoers at Haydock are advised to perhaps reach for the scarf over the umbrella, with Tellwright adding of Saturday's forecast: "It's quite sharp and the temperatures have dropped, but it's largely dry."

The ITV cameras will also screen three races from Ascot, which raced on ground described officially as good to soft, which was the general view of jockeys riding there on Friday.

Saturday cards