Hereford to inspect as freeze relents only slowly

Race meetings are still struggling to emerge from the grip of the cold snap - with Hereford's Monday card set for a precautionary 7.30am inspection.

The going is described as heavy, frozen in places - but frost covers have been laid down.

Temperatures dipped to -4C overnight on Saturday but were slowly thawing on Sunday.

With the forecast suggesting the thermometer will not dip below freezing again overnight, hopes are high the meeting will survive - given temperatures are due to reach 5C on Monday.

There are no reported problems at Doncaster, with temperatures set to hit a tropical 8C in Yorkshire.

There is also an inspection at Fairyhouse at 1pm on Monday for Tuesday's meeting.

The fixture was originally scheduled for Saturday but was frozen off and moved to Tuesday - but the course is still currently unraceable.

A statement from the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board read: "The track at Fairyhouse remains unfit for racing due to a small number of frozen areas.

"There is an improving forecast, with rising temperatures over the coming days, and a further inspection of the track will take place at 1pm on Monday, 11th January, ahead of the fixture scheduled to take place on Tuesday, 12th January."

Sunday's meeting at Exeter survived three morning inspections, warming up just in time.