Weather Watch: Continued cold snap causing havoc

Officials at Warwick, Wetherby and Kempton are preparing for a “challenging” week as the cold snap threatens jumps racing in Britain for the second Saturday in succession.

Meetings at Newcastle, Sandown and Wincanton all went by the wayside last weekend and while there was a brief return to National Hunt action at Chepstow on Sunday, that only lasted two races.

Ayr flew the flag for the jumping game on Monday, but it will be all-weather action all the way until at least Wednesday and plummeting temperatures mean several fixtures are under severe threat.

Warwick is due to stage one of its highest-profile meetings of the year on Saturday, with the £100,000 Classic Handicap Chase the feature event. The £75,000 Veterans’ Handicap Chase has also been added to the card following Sandown’s abandonment at the weekend – but having already contended with heavy rain, clerk of the course Nessie Chanter is now concerned about the prospect of frost over the coming days.

She said: “The brook burst in the early hours of Monday morning, but you wouldn’t believe how quickly it’s receded and we’re now just waterlogged rather than flooded in some areas.

“As far as the water is concerned I think we can overcome that challenge, the next challenge is the temperatures. We dropped down to sub-zero overnight and we’re raceable today, but they look to be going down to lows of minus 3C and minus 4C on Wednesday and Thursday night.

“Where the forecasts aren’t agreeing is Friday night. Some are saying it’s going to get down to minus 3C, but others are a bit more cheerful and saying minus 1C.

“It looks like the sun is coming out on Saturday morning and we could get daytime temperatures of plus 3C, but the trouble we’ve got is we’re not in a position to cover the whole track at the moment.

“It’s the consecutive nights of frost that are a concern. We’re going to cover takes-offs, landings and crossings and vulnerable areas, but we won’t be able to cover the whole track as it stands.

“I think we’ve got a challenge ahead of us.”

Kempton is due to stage the Grade Two Silviniaco Conti Chase, but just like Warwick the Sunbury circuit is facing several problems.

“We still have standing water on the lake bend, hopefully that will improve but it’s obviously a concern because while 90 per cent of the track is raceable, that 10 per cent, everybody has to go across it,” said clerk of the course Barney Clifford.

“We’ve got snow forecast tomorrow (Wednesday) afternoon and then we’re forecast temperatures of minus 3C or minus 4C, so let’s see what happens.

“Last night we were forecast minus 3C and it only got down to plus 1C, so forecasts can be incorrect if you can keep reasonable cloud cover and that is a possibility. We’ll give it every chance.”

The William Hill Towton Novices’ Chase meeting at Wetherby looks in serious trouble, with the course not only covered in snow but also extensively flooded and frozen.

Clerk of the course Jonjo Sanderson said: “Prospects are slimmer than me!”

Even if the meetings at Warwick, Kempton and Wetherby are beaten by the weather, there could still be some jumps racing taking place this weekend, with the British Horseracing Authority considering the possibility of staging a meeting at an alternative venue.

Richard Wayman, BHA director of racing and betting, said: “The BHA racing team is expecting to make changes this weekend and is currently reviewing options, including the possibility of whether a jumps fixture could be staged elsewhere.”

Taunton’s Wednesday fixture is subject to a 7.30am precautionary inspection due to “variable forecasts”, while meetings at Catterick on Clonmel on Thursday have already been called off.

The team at Newbury will stage an 8.30am inspection on Wednesday ahead of their Thursday card, while Friday’s jumping fare is also under threat, with Doncaster and Huntingdon inspecting at 8am and 8.30am respectively on Wednesday.