Sandown to inspect at 8am on Saturday before Grade 1 Scilly Isles card

Sandown must pass an 8am inspection on the day of racing if its all-chase card on Saturday is to go ahead.

Sandown's hurdles races were called off on Wednesday with an all-chase card – including the Grade 1 Scilly Isles Novices' Chase and rearranged Cotswold Chase – planned, and the going is heavy, soft in places.

After a 3pm inspection on Friday, clerk of the course Andrew Cooper said: "We've made one or two further modifications, narrowed one or two more fences, put up other bits of running rail and we've had a look at the course accompanied by the BHA course inspector and we felt as things stand you would give it a go and race on it now.

"It has settled down, improved a bit and lost some of the surface wetness from first thing. It's been a lovely, dry and sunny day.

"There is not too much rain forecast overnight, most say there could be the odd light shower around, maybe up to 2mm of rain, and that would be okay."

Sandown Saturday card

But Cooper stressed that racing is still at risk and said: "There is the lingering risk of further rain perhaps from late morning or lunchtime which could be a little more persistent and heavier.

"That could be 5mm-plus so we're certainly not out of the woods yet. But we must and will give it every chance. We've got ourselves into a position where I think we have a chance of getting it on."

Wetherby switches to all-hurdle and bumper card but another inspection needed

Wetherby's three chases, including the Grade 2 William Hill Towton Novices' Chase, have been called off and there remains doubt over the track's new all-hurdle and bumper card, with another inspection planned for 8am on Saturday.

Wetherby Saturday card

Two additional hurdle races have been created by the BHA to cover for the lost chases but with the ground remaining heavy and more rain forecast means another inspection will be necessary at 8am on raceday. Wetherby's hurdles course was deemed raceable on Friday.

The track, which is set to host the rearranged Cleeve Hurdle as its highlight, tweeted on Friday morning: "Sadly, the chase course has not improved enough and, with further rain expected tonight, we have decided to cancel all chase races for tomorrow and revert to the pre-planned all-hurdle programme.

Wetherby: Saturday fixture will now feature six hurdle races and a bumperCredit: Tim Goode (Getty Images)

"The hurdles course has improved greatly and would be fit to race on today (Friday). However, in view of the fact that there is rain forecast for tonight, we will stage a precautionary inspection at 8am on Saturday to check conditions again."

Musselburgh set to inspect before big Sunday meeting

A mixture of cold air and possible snow has prompted officials at Musselburgh to call an 8am inspection on Sunday for the second of its two-day Cheltenham Trials fixture.

The ground is good to soft, soft in places, and there is no threat to the card on Saturday, however clerk of the course Bill Farnsworth is concerned about possible overnight snow into Sunday morning and a maximum temperature of 2C during the day.

He said: "The problem is if any snow does fall on the track temperatures won't rise enough to budge it. Even a centimetre would cause us a huge problem and probably cause the fixture to be abandoned.

"There is no indication at the moment how much snow we could get, but because the course is at sea-level we usually tend to avoid the worst of it. I'm hoping it's going to be classic Musselburgh and we'll wake up on Sunday morning with nothing there."

Carlisle's Monday meeting must pass an inspection on Saturday morning at 8am, with the chase course waterlogged in places.

Weather prospects for jumps

Saturday

Leopardstown
Chase – Yielding to soft; Hurdle – Soft
Outlook: Turning cooler, potential for light rain Saturday and generally dry Sunday

Musselburgh (races Sunday too)
Soft, good to soft in places
Outlook: A windy week with potential for between 18-40mm of rain from Tuesday to Friday. Small chance of snow but expected to be limited to higher ground

Sandown
Chase – Heavy, soft in places
Outlook: Inspection at 8am on Saturday. Waterlogged in places on the home straight

Wetherby
Heavy
Outlook: An inspection has been called for 8am on Saturday. Fixture is now an all-hurdles and bumper card but more forecast rain means another inspection is necessary

Sunday

Leopardstown
Chase – Yielding to soft; Hurdle – Soft
Outlook: Turning cooler, potential for light rain Saturday and generally dry Sunday

Musselburgh
Good to soft
Outlook: An inspection will be held at 8am on Sunday morning due to the threat of overnight snow and frost with temperatures not expected to rise above 2C. Clerk of the course Bill Farnsworth: "Even a centimetre of snow would cause us a huge problem"

Monday

Carlisle
Heavy
Chase course waterlogged in places
Outlook: Inspection at 8am on Saturday. Colder from Saturday with frosts down to around -3C

Plumpton
Heavy
Frost sheets deployed on takeoffs, landings and vulnerable areas
Outlook: Dry and bright on Friday with showers on Saturday. Temperatures dropping to a max of 2C on Sunday with possibility of snow

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