All clear for Taunton

Officials at Taunton have said that Tuesday afternoon's meeting will go ahead following a second precautionary inspection.

After assessing conditions earlier in the morning, clerk of the course Michael Trickey said that frost in the ground had thawed out.

Despite his upbeat assessment, Trickey said that another check was required at 10am.

However, the inspection was then brought forward - with the all clear subsequently being given.

A course spokesman said: "It was pointless waiting until 10am because it was obvious there was no frost in the ground.

"There were one or two areas that still needed checking, though, so it was important to wait until daylight."

Meanwhile, Uttoxeter officials have called a 7.30am precautionary inspection ahead of Wednesday's meeting.

Although currently unaffected by frost, the Staffordshire venue is braced for overnight temperatures which could dip as low as minus-five degrees.

Clerk of the course Keith Ottesen said: "As long as the forecast remains wrong, we have got a good chance.

"The forecast last night was for anything between minus two and minus four but we are hovering at zero.

"We can hopefully get back to positive temperatures during the day but the critical factor is if we can keep the cloud cover.

"We remain hopeful as long as we don't get the frost - we are at the mercy of the weather."

And Warwick's National Hunt meeting on Wednesday must pass an 8am precautionary inspection.

Clerk of the course Andrew Morris said: "We were forecast to get down to minus three last night but the cloud cover meant we only just dipped below freezing.

"The track is perfectly raceable and we are faced with a similar forecast tonight.

"The forecast was wrong last night, which gives us every hope it will be a similar story again."