Rain, rain go away: Windsor and Newton Abbot call Monday inspections

A 7am inspection has been called ahead of racing at Windsor on Monday with the ground described as heavy, soft in places.

The track staged one of its usual Monday evening meetings at the start of the week, but the final race was abandoned after sustained rainfall and prospects are not looking much brighter nearly seven days on.

Clerk of the course, Sophie Candy, explained on Sunday: "It's a nightmare at the moment because you've got just no drying weather, even yesterday I had another couple of millimetres. It's constantly keeping me where I am, which is heavy, soft in places.

Windsor Monday card

"My problem is I can see a band of rain that's going to come through tonight that's going to start about six o'clock this evening. They're saying it could give me a minimum of six millimetres, it could give me ten and I would have serious concerns off the back of that, therefore I need to take a look."

Candy said that due to the omission of the final race on Monday's card, which came after Aplomb fell late on in the fifth race, BHA inspector Peter Hobbs walked the course on Friday morning and was satisfied with conditions.

Dream Of Dreams: won at Windsor on MondayCredit: Pool

Windsor is not the only course hoping the rain stays away as Wednesday's fixture at Newton Abbot is in doubt with the course heavy, waterlogged in places and set to inspect at 8am on Monday.

This comes after the track's latest meeting on May 12 was cancelled after nearly 19 millimetres of rain fell in an hour.

Clerk of the course, Jason Loosemore, said: "Essentially we're waterlogged in places still. It's gone backwards from where it was at our last meeting because we've had the thick end of five inches of rain in the intervening period.

"We have another heavy band of rain coming through – we could be getting 15 to 20 millimetres – we're not very confident and there are some showers about throughout Monday.

"Wherever we find ourselves tomorrow we wouldn't be seeing any improvement. We'll have a look and know our fate then I think."

Read more:

Windsor abandons before final race after 30-minute deliberation

No luck for Newton Abbot as torrential rain forces another costly cancellation

Godolphin free up historic Warren Place as NHS Covid-19 vaccination centre

Download the free Racing Post app for cards, form, tips, in-app betting and to watch live races. Download for free at racingpost.com/mobile or search Racing Post app