Weather hits New Year racing action

13 April 2012

New Year's Day's racing action looks set to be decimated with Leicester and Catterick already falling by the wayside.  

Catterick became the first casualty of 2001 after being called off this morning following an inspection.

The course remains frozen and snowbound with no sign of conditions starting to improve.

Clerk of the course John Gundill said: "It seems to be getting worse before getting better.

"The thaw is meant to be coming tomorrow but it was -8C again last night and there's no way that it will happen in time to save the meeting. Our next meeting is on January 10 and we will just hope things have improved by then!"

And Leicester's meeting has also fallen to the elements, the course still being covered by up to five inches of snow.

A spokesman for Leicester said: "The track is covered in snow and frozen and places.

"There is a sign of a thaw but it will not come quickly enough to save us."

Plumpton will hold an inspection at 7.15am on Monday as they bid to stage the first jumps racing action since last Thursday's meeting at Taunton.

Clerk of the course David McHarg remains "optimistic" that the meeting can go ahead.

"The track is still slightly frost-bound at present, however it is not deep in the ground and the thaw is due to commence from 3pm today," he said.

"Temperatures overnight are expected to be extremely mild at 8C with chances of rain. A precautionary inspection has been called at 7.15am to ascertain the extent of the overnight thaw."

Signs are also good that Exeter's meeting will survive the recent vold spell.

Clerk of the course Nick Ansell said: "The thaw has been so rapid that I think we could have raced this afternoon.

"There is no inspection planned and the going is heavy. We are expecting a fair amount of rain today and I just hope that it will be dryer for the benefit of our racegoers!

"I'm as confident as I can be that racing will go ahead."

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