Warwick call inspection ahead of Saturday card

Warwick’s William Hill Half A Mill Classic Chase card must survive a 2pm inspection on Friday.

Having been lost to the elements 12 months ago, officials are keen to get the meeting on and there has been a big improvement in conditions in the past 36 hours.

The track was frozen solid on Tuesday, but a milder night than expected and then temperatures up to 4C on Wednesday means the “majority” of the track is now frost free.

There was 5mm of rain overnight leaving the ground good, good to soft in places and plenty more rain is due during Thursday, with the possibility of up to 25mm falling.

However, that also brings with it the main threat, as overnight when the temperature drops there is a possibility of it turning to snow.

As a result an inspection has been called for Friday 2pm to give clerk of the course Nessie Chanter and her team the best chance to assess conditions.

Chanter said on Wednesday: “We’re obviously due this band of rain and if that stays as rain I’m cautiously optimistic that we might squeeze across the line, but if that turns to snow overnight it might just scupper us.”

Kempton’s Lanzarote Hurdle card faces an inspection at 2pm on Thursday while Wetherby’s Saturday card has already been called off.

Southwell’s jumps meeting on Friday is now subject to a 4.30pm inspection on Thursday with the course currently still unraceable in places while Wolverhampton’s all-weather card on Friday must survive a 9.30am inspection on raceday due to the possibility of snow.

Officials at Huntingdon made an early decision regarding their Friday card, due to feature the Chateris Fen Juvenile Hurdle, and after failing a 9am inspection the meeting was abandoned.

Exeter passed an inspection on on Thursday morning but called a precautionary 8am check ahead of racing on Friday. The course is raceable but there are weather warnings for wind and snow in place overnight.

Sunday’s meeting at Kelso is subject to a noon inspection on Thursday with the course still frozen in places and an unfavourable forecast.