Carlisle 'hopeful' for Monday fixture despite facing morning inspection

Carlisle could join the list of cancellations caused by Storm Eunice should it fail to pass an inspection on Monday morning.

The seven-race card is the day's last surviving afternoon meeting in Britain after Lingfield's jumps fixture was cancelled due to a waterlogged track and Chelmsford called off because of storm damage.

Monday racecards

Carlisle came through an initial inspection at midday on Sunday, but officials will check again at 8am on Monday due to the heavy forecast rain.

"We’ll try our best to get it on," said Carlisle's general manager Molly Dingwall, who hopes that a complete washout can be avoided with the forecast set to improve from midday, just under two hours before the first race is due off at 1.50.

"It’s fine at the moment, so we’re hopeful. Obviously the forecast isn’t amazing so we’re going to inspect again at 8am but everything looks good at the moment."

Kirkland Tellwright has already felt the brunt of Storm Eunice after steering Haydock through its Grand National Trial card on Saturday and he is hoping to do the same at Carlisle. The clerk of the course added on Sunday: "It’s fit to race at the moment but we’ve got a very wet 24 hours forecast so we’ve just got to wait and see."

There are two all-weather fixtures on Monday with Dundalk's twilight fixture starting before Newcastle in the evening.

Navan was forced to cancel Sunday's high-quality card due to waterlogging, but the meeting, featuring the Listed Apple's Jade Mares Novice Hurdle, has been rescheduled for Tuesday with the first race due off at 1.10.

Read more on Storm Eunice:

'I've never seen anything like it' - huge effort as Wincanton beats Storm Eunice

Cheltenham 'very lucky' to avoid the worst of Storm Eunice

'It was getting pretty scary by third lot' - Nicky Henderson battles the storm

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