Sandown to look again

Officials at Sandown have called an 8am inspection on Saturday morning ahead of the afternoon meeting featuring the Blue Square Tolworth Hurdle.

Clerk of the course Andrew Cooper took a look at conditions on Thursday and declared the track to be 95 percent raceable despite the recent cold snap.

Assisted by the use of frost sheets, Cooper is confident the popular fixture will get the green light.

"Fingers crossed it will go OK and will give us a good deal of protection for Friday night," Cooper said.

"We've been a degree or so better today than we thought at up to about four degrees. Tomorrow has been suggested as a four or five degree day but with a cold night to follow.

Temperatures improving

"We would be quite vulnerable without the covers down with a frost forecast on Friday night.

"It has improved all day today and we'll take stock of things in the morning. We could do with plus temperatures again tomorrow to sort out the last remaining bits of the track."

Saturday's jumps fixture at Wincanton is subject to 8am inspection on Friday with Barry Johnson hopeful of racing.

It's supposed to be minus one tonight and should get to plus four tomorrow during the day," said the clerk. "If that is the case and we sheet down what we can we'll have a sporting chance.

"We'll have a look in the morning and take it from there."

Folkestone's card on Friday is also in doubt with a precautionary inspection scheduled for 7.30am to see if the venue is fit to stage racing.

The course is currently raceable and no problems are anticipated but officials will take a look in case the temperatures continue to drop.

"It is purely precautionary but we thought it best to check," said clerk of the course Neil Mackenzie Ross.

"It is due to stay above freezing but I have seen a forecast for zero degrees hence we've called an inspection.

"There is a frost forecast for inland and we might be on the tip of that. We just thought it best to let everyone know the situation."

Ayr abandoned

However, Ayr have had to call off their meetings scheduled for Friday and Saturday due to a frozen track.

Clerk of the course Katherine Self made the decision after holding an inspection at 9.30am on Thursday morning.

She said: "The track is completely frozen. We got down to minus four last night and we have another minus five forecast tonight.

"We have no chance of racing on either day so we have had to abandon."