Kelso, Ayr set to race

Jump racing enthusiasts could get their first taste of action this week with Kelso hoping to beat the big freeze.

Friday's fixture is likely to be subject to an officials inspection but clerk of the course Anthea Morshead is confident all the frost will come out of the ground providing the weather forecast is correct.

"We've seen a marked improvement since yesterday afternoon. The snow that came down then has all but completely gone and the frost has started to come out of the ground," she said.

"There's still a bit in there but it's only a small part of the track in places that's frozen now. It's getting above freezing and the forecast is for it to get down to zero or plus one but no colder tonight and to come up between four and six degrees tomorrow. It's similar for tomorrow night and Friday.

"If that forecast is correct and we get the rate of improvement we've had since yesterday then we should be OK.

"We'll look at it first thing in the morning and see what the Met Office are saying. If we do get a frost we may call an inspection for tomorrow afternoon but I think the likelihood is that if we do have an inspection it will be on Friday morning.

"The going will be heavy. The snow has gone away but has left heavy ground behind it."

Saturday's recently arranged meeting at Ayr should also get the all-clear after mild temperatures swept the west coast of Scotland.

"The track is still frozen in parts, but not too much," said clerk of the course Katherine Self. "We've got a forecast of plus five tonight. The high pressure that is causing the cold weather for the rest of the country has moved south and the low pressure has moved in for us.

"We are actually thawing which is why we were offered the meeting as we have got the best forecast.

"We have had plus seven today and are forecast seven or eight tomorrow and then overnight on Thursday we are set to have our coldest night of plus three.

We've got a chance of wind and showers moving in on Friday amounting to maybe eight or 10 millimetres of rain.

"It will mean we will be racing on fairly heavy ground on Saturday. Everyone is bursting for a run so I don't think people will be complaining about the heavy ground.

"The main thing is we get the meeting on. As long as we get a good clear three days of these sort of temperatures the frost will come out and it will be fine."