Sedgefield among four meetings facing key inspections on Monday

There could be further disruption to the jump racing calendar in Britain and Ireland this week with four midweek meetings subject to inspections on Monday.

Sedgefield's meeting on Monday hinges on a course check at 8.30am, with the track coming through a first inspection on Sunday. Large parts of the track have thawed out but temperatures could go as low as -2C on Sunday night.

Clerk of the course Michael Naughton said: "The track has vastly improved and the majority of the course is raceable bar a couple of crispy areas.

"It's forecast to go down to 0C at midnight and it could dip to -2C for a couple of hours before warming up and hopefully in plus numbers by 8am.

"We're hopeful and giving the meeting every chance, but how long it remains below 0C will be key."

Course officials at Warwick will inspect the track by 8am on Monday for Wednesday’s meeting.

Standing water on the course is slowly receding but the track was not in a raceable condition on Sunday morning and there is the potential for more rain on Tuesday.

Clerk of the course Jane Hedley tweeted: "Some small patches of standing water remain, and we wouldn’t be raceable on Sunday. We’ll reassess and report by 8am on Monday. We also have a close eye on the 12-14mm of rain forecast for early Tuesday."

Exeter's meeting on Wednesday also faces an inspection at 8am on Monday after 17mm of rain at the track on Sunday, while further rain could put Limerick's Tuesday card in danger.

The ground at Limerick is heavy with 15-20mm of rain forecast in the lead up and an inspection will be held at 3pm on Monday.

The scene at Huntingdon on Sunday, where the Alconbury brook burst its banks last weekCredit: Lawrie Kelsey

12 jumps meetings were lost last week due to frozen ground or waterlogging including Trials day at Cheltenham and Friday’s fixture at Huntingdon, where the Alconbury brook burst its banks. The course remains under water although racing does not take place at the Cambridgeshire track until Thursday week.

Fixtures at Hereford, Leicester, Lingfield and Newcastle have already been cancelled this week, with the two last-named tracks switching to all-weather jumpers' bumpers fixtures that show the clamour for opportunities for jumps horses to race.

The nine-race cards take place on the Polytrack at Lingfield on Monday and Tapeta at Newcastle on Tuesday, with more than 100 runners at each meeting.

An additional Flat fixture will also take place at Lingfield on Wednesday, with entries closing on Monday and final declarations made on Tuesday.

Jump racing prospects for the week

Monday

Hereford
Cancelled (Waterlogged)

Lingfield (jumpers’ bumpers)
Standard to slow

Sedgefield
Heavy
Outlook: Inspection at 8.30am on Monday. Some small remaining frozen areas with temperatures potentially dipping to -2C overnight

Tuesday

Lingfield
Cancelled (Waterlogged)

Limerick
Heavy
Outlook: An inspection will be held at 3pm on Monday. Forecast is for 15-20mm of rain but the track is currently fit for racing

Newcastle (jumpers’ bumpers)
Standard to slow

Wednesday

Exeter
Heavy
Outlook: Inspection at 8am on Monday after 17mm of rain on Sunday. Showers expected on Monday and Tuesday with 10-11mm of rain forecast on raceday.

Leicester
Cancelled (waterlogged)

Warwick
Heavy, standing water in places
Outlook: Inspection at 8am on Monday. Monday largely dry before a further spell of persistent rain early on Tuesday (potentially 12-14mm).

Thursday

Down Royal
Soft, heavy in places (chase), heavy, soft in places (hurdle)
Outlook: Unsettled forecast with potential for up to 20mm of rain prior to declarations on Tuesday

Ffos Las
Heavy
Outlook: Rain forecast on Monday evening/Tuesday morning but mainly dry thereafter.

Wincanton
Heavy, standing water in places
Outlook: Rain forecast on Tuesday and Wednesday

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