Third inspection for Uttoxeter card

This afternoon's meeting at Uttoxeter is subject to a third morning inspection at 11am. Although the entire course has been covered by fleece since Wednesday, the prospect of freezing temperatures overnight on Friday prompted officials to announce a precautionary check for 7.30am. Clerk of the course Charlie Moore was happy to give the meeting the green light following that inspection, but shortly after the snow began to fall, threatening the fixture once more.A second inspection was held at 10am and officials will now look for a third time an hour later.Moore said: "We had a heavy snow shower between 7.35am and 8.15am which made the fleece too wet and heavy to move easily, hence the need to reassess."We're raceable under the fleece, but there is now some snow on the track where the fleece has broken up when we've tried to move it."We couldn't race right now, but temperatures are due to rise a degree in the next hour, which will hopefully thaw the snow."There's enough hope for us to carry on, but it's not a given that racing will go ahead."