Rain-soaked Wetherby 'moving in the right direction' but Charlie Hall Chase meeting hinges on 7am raceday inspection

Wetherby was banking on conditions improving enough overnight to allow its flagship Charlie Hall Chase meeting to go ahead.

An inspection is due at 7am to check whether the water lying on the racing line in the back straight, which caused Friday's meeting to be called off, had receded.

The level of the local rivers in rain-hit West Yorkshire fell through the day as it did in the nearby dykes, allowing more of the water on the track to flow into them.

Hopes of racing hinge on that draining process being completed in time for the track to be raceable and after checking the problem area on Friday afternoon, clerk of the course Jonjo Sanderson said: "It appears to be moving in the right direction but there is still a long way to go.

"Visually there has been improvement between 11am and 3pm regarding the standing water on the course and we hope it continues."

No problems are expected for Saturday's cards at Ayr, Newmarket and Ascot, where clerk of the course Chris Stickels said: "We had 1/4mm of rain very early today but it has been dry and breezy since.

"We are going to get rain tomorrow, and possibly showers through the afternoon, but there is nothing forecast that would pose any sort of threat to racing."

Sunday's turf cards should also beat the weather, with the risk of flooding reduced at Huntingdon, which came through an inspection on Friday.

"I'm fairly optimistic," said clerk of the course Roderick Duncan. "We only got 7mm of rain when we were predicted into double-figures and if the forecast of 4mm is correct for tomorrow the river should stay in its banks and we'll be fine to race."

Carlisle's Colin Parker Memorial Intermediate Chase card is also set to survive, with clerk of the course Harry Phipps saying: "The forecast says the chance of rain has deteriorated, it should be largely dry until raceday. If that's right, the ground should dry back slightly."

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