Storm Dennis threat forces Ascot and Wincaton to call Saturday inspections

Saturday's

Cyrname will face just three rivals as he bids to become the second back-to-back winner of the Grade 1 Betfair Ascot Chase on Saturday, providing that potential high winds in excess of 40mph from Storm Dennis do not scupper the meeting.

The seven-race card is not certain to get the green light with a precautionary inspection called at Ascot for 8am on Saturday morning due to the strong winds forecast. The wind is forecast to gain in strength from 11am on Saturday, so officials at the track will continue to monitor conditions even if the initial inspection is passed.

Lingfield will also inspect at 8.30am on Saturday morning before its afternoon all-weather fixture due to the expected strong winds.

Speaking on Thursday, before Saturday's 8am inspection was confirmed on Friday morning, Ascot's clerk of the course Chris Stickels said: “We will continue to monitor the situation with regards Storm Dennis as the wind could reach 44mph and that would pose a risk to the infrastructure for the paying public and on the racecourse itself, depending from which way it is blowing from.

Ascot Chase card

“I'm not really concerned with the rain as we can take the 15mm which is forecast up to Saturday but the wind would be a problem."

Cyrname, who obliterated his rivals by 17 lengths in the race last year and beat Altior back at the track in the Christy 1965 Chase on his reappearance in November, finished runner-up in the King George on his most recent start.

Scott Marshall, the man credited with taming the wayward Cyrname, exercises his mount up the hill at DitcheatCredit: Edward Whitaker

Trained by Paul Nicholls, Cyrname is a best-priced 8-15 to emulate Riverside Theatre, who won the race for Nicky Henderson in 2011 and 2012.

Among those opposing Britain's highest-rated chaser is Janika, last seen finishing a distant fourth behind leading Champion Chase contender Defi Du Seuil in the Clarence House Chase.

Watch: Cyrname's impressive Ascot Chase victory

The field is completed by the in-form Riders Onthe Storm, who will be bidding for a hat-trick, and Traffic Fluide, who is entered in the Grand National and has not made the track since November 2018.

Betfair make Cyrname the 2-5 favourite for the race, with Riders Onthe Storm 3-1, Janika 8-1 and Traffic Fluide 66-1.

Haydock, which is also on ITV with the Grade 2 Unibet Rendlesham Hurdle and the Grade 3 Unibet Grand National Trial taking centre stage, also faces high winds but clerk of the course Kirkland Tellwright is optimistic there will not be a problem.

He said: “We are certainly going to have winds during racing which could gust up to 25 mph and there would be difficulties if the wind exceeded that figure but other than that we are in a good place at present leading up to Saturday.

“The course had 6mm of rain on Wednesday and the forecast is for showers through to and during racing but with any luck the worst of the rain is actually forecast to arrive after racing. We are currently heavy on the chase course while the hurdle track is heavy and soft in places.”

Wincanton’s Saturday meeting also features on ITV with the Grade 2 Betway Kingwell Hurdle shown live. Clerk of the course Dan Cooper is hopeful a fresh racing line which has been preserved for the meeting will ensure it goes ahead.

He said: “I walked the course this morning [Thursday]and was pleasantly surprised as the line we have kept for Saturday is in relative good nick with the ground being soft and heavy in places. We have a very unsettled and windy forecast ahead of Saturday.

“There is the potential for up to 20mm of rain through Friday and Saturday and we could end up with heavy ground all over by then. We continue to monitor the situation with regards the weather.”

The prospect of Exeter’s rescheduled Sunday meeting going ahead is in the balance with Cooper reporting: “Exeter took 17mm of rain overnight on Wednesday with another 25mm forecast for Friday and Saturday. If that comes about I’d say that there might be a concern about the meeting going ahead.”

Exeter: could hold their rescheduled fixture on SundayCredit: Getty Images

Officials at Gowran Park are optimistic Saturday's high quality card will get the green light despite significant rainfall over the past week.

General manager Eddie Scally said: "The track has been heavy all week and we've had 78mm of rain since Saturday, 15mm to 16mm of that came last night.

Gowran Park: plays host to some excellent jumping action on SaturdayCredit: Alain Barr

"It's as heavy as you'd want it and thankfully today [Thursday] has been a really good drying day. I'd be very optimistic of us going ahead with racing as long as Friday isn't too bad."

The Kilkenny venue could be set for some cracking action this weekend, as the Grade 2 Red Mills Chase and Grade 3 Red Mills Trial Hurdle take centre stage, with the presence of Storm Dennis on Saturday not expected to have a significant impact.

"Saturday's forecast is for high winds that finish by midday, with 5mm to 6mm of rain following that during racing," explained Scally.

"We have plenty of marquees and spoke to the company we're working with on that front - they're not concerned about the winds causing problems."

The Lingfield jumps card scheduled for Monday was called off on Thursday morning because of a waterlogged track. The BHA has announced a replacement afternoon Flat fixture the same day, which will be a six-race card which could divide to eight if required. Entries must be received by noon on Friday and declarations will be required by 10am Saturday.

Horse Racing Ireland announced the Clonmel meeting, which was scheduled for this Thursday but was cancelled due to waterlogging, has been rescheduled for Wednesday, March 4.

The programme of races will be announced in due course, with fresh entries to be made by midday on Thursday February 27.

Jumps prospects

Saturday
Ascot
soft, heavy in places (inspection 8am Saturday morning)
Haydock
Chase course: heavy
Hurdle course: heavy, soft in places
Wincanton
Chase course: soft, heavy in places
Hurdle course: soft
Gowran
heavy
Lingfield
Standard (inspection 8.30am)
Newcastle
Standard

Sunday
Exeter
soft, heavy in places
Market Rasen
soft, good to soft in places
Navan
heavy

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