CHELTENHAM’S Friday card has survived an inspection – despite temperatures dropping to -7.6C overnight.
But today’s meeting at Bangor has been scrapped after the track was hit hard by frost.
Times Newspapers LtdFrost covers have been deployed at Cheltenham in the hope of saving the racing on Friday and Saturday[/caption]
The frost nightmare is not confined to Britain, with Punchestown’s star-studded John Durkan card a massive doubt.
The track have announced a contingency plan to restage the meeting on Tuesday should it be cancelled on Sunday.
But racing fans in the UK will be relieved that day one of the International Meeting at Cheltenham goes ahead after the course passed a 10.30am inspection.
And there will also be action over the jumps at Doncaster after the Yorkshire track dodged the worst of the weather.
Cheltenham’s clerk of the course John Pullin said: “We’re going ahead, the majority of the covers are off the course is fit to race.
“We knew we were going to face challenges this week for the meeting and our ground staff have worked so hard in getting the covers down and off again today. It was a huge team effort.”
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Jumps racing has already been hard-hit this week. Warwick called off their Thursday card after temperatures fell to -7.4C, while Hexham’s Wednesday meeting was frozen off.
This is not the end to Cheltenham’s frost headache, however.
The ground staff will face a race against time to get the covers back down before temperatures dip after racing in order to protect the course for tomorrow’s huge card.
The track have announced a precautionary inspection for 7.30am on Saturday morning.
Punters will also be hoping Punchestown goes ahead on Sunday with Gold Cup favourite Galopin Des Champs set to make his return.
Willie Mullins’ top chaser – who famously fell when miles clear in the Turners last March – is around 11-4 to win the big one.
Victory in the John Durkan last year paved the way to Festival success for Allaho and looks a stepping stone to more joy for Galopin Des Champs.
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