Sandown hurdles course 'borderline' as switch to all-chase card remains possible

Sandown passed its Tuesday lunchtime inspection but a switch to an all-chase card for Saturday's meeting remains a possibility with the hurdles track described as "borderline raceable" by officials.

The midday inspection was primarily focused on the hurdles course which was described as heavy, soft in places and waterlogged in places on Monday, whereas the chase course is officially soft, heavy in places.

The ground has improved slightly despite 4mm of overnight rain, but a further inspection is scheduled for 8am on Thursday to determine whether racing can take place on the hurdles course.

The Listed Contenders’ Hurdle is the pick of four hurdle races planned for Saturday’s meeting, alongside four races over fences which includes the Grade 1 Scilly Isles Novices' Chase and the rearranged Cotswold Chase.

Clerk of the course Andrew Cooper said: “We’ve survived the inspection more than passed it. The view we took was that today the hurdles course is very much borderline raceable, but given the importance of the hurdles races on this card we felt it was premature to pull the plug on a Tuesday looking ahead to a Saturday meeting."

The BHA has confirmed the creation of a provisional six-race, all-chase card at Sandown should the scheduled hurdle races face cancellation.

Entries for the two new races close at 12pm on Wednesday. If it is decided the meeting can proceed with the hurdle races as scheduled, the additional two provisional chases will instead be scrapped.

Boost for jump racing as Warwick and Wincanton both pass morning inspections

Prospects of jump racing finally going ahead in Britain this week have been boosted after Warwick and Wincanton both passed morning inspections for their midweek fixtures.

Officials at Warwick were due to hold an inspection at 2pm, but that was brought forward with the track in a raceable condition and the minimal amount of forecast rain is not expected to cause any more problems.

Warwick: passed a Tuesday inspection for its Wednesday cardCredit: Pool

The ground is currently heavy, soft in places on the chase course and heavy on the hurdles track and clerk of the course Jane Hedley said: "The worry was that if we got a lot of rain overnight the nearby brook would burst its banks, but fortunately that didn't happen as the rain was at the lower end of what was forecast.

"We could get 2-3mm in showers tonight but we don't expect that to cause us any problems so we brought the inspection forward and passed it. We didn't see the point in dragging it out until this afternoon because we're not expecting any more rain before then."

Six jumps fixtures had already been cancelled this week – Hereford and Sedgefield on Monday, Lingfield and Limerick on Tuesday and Exeter and Leicester on Wednesday – but hopes are now high that we will see more jumps action on Thursday after Wincanton also passed a Tuesday morning inspection.

Champion jockey Brian Hughes defends Sedgefield decision amid rider criticism

Clerk of the course Daniel Cooper expects another check to take place on raceday morning amid an uncertain weather forecast, but is feeling optimisitc.

"It does [make me optimistic], he said. "The track is raceable at the moment. I imagine we’ll put another inspection in for raceday morning, but we want to get a certain forecast first.

"On Wednesday there is potential for 10mm of rain, but that is not on all forecasts so there is a little bit of uncertainty. I’m going to err on the side of caution and say if we get that 10mm I’d be very unhappy, but we haven’t abandoned it on the basis of an uncertain forecast.

"It’s hard at the moment, we love racing and we want to deliver it.

The ground at Wincanton is heavy and the first chase fence and last hurdle in the back straight will be omitted.

A total of 12 jumps meetings were lost last week due to frozen ground or waterlogging including Trials day at Cheltenham and Friday's fixture at Huntingdon, where the Alconbury Brook burst its banks. The course remains under water although racing does not take place at the Cambridgeshire track until Thursday week.

Jump racing prospects for the week

Wednesday

Exeter
Cancelled (waterlogged)

Leicester
Cancelled (waterlogged)

Warwick
Chase – heavy, soft in places; Hurdle – Heavy, soft in places
Outlook: Inspection on Tuesday was brought forward and passed. 2-3mm of overnight rain not expected to cause any problems

Thursday

Down Royal
Chase – Soft, heavy in places; Hurdle – heavy, soft in places
Outlook: Further rain forecast today through to Thursday bringing up to 20mm before racing

Ffos Las
Heavy
Outlook: 5-7mm of rain expected on Tuesday, mostly dry with some
outbreaks of light rain on Wednesday, dry first thing on Thursday with occasional showers in the afternoon

Wincanton
Heavy
Outlook: Course passed an 8am inspection Tuesday and the track is currently raceable. More rain forecast and another inspection likely to be held on raceday morning

Friday

Catterick
Heavy, frozen in places
Snow covered
Outlook: Snow on Tuesday morning turning to rain through the day and overnight. Wednesday a mainly dry day but turning wet again overnight. Thursday and Friday mainly dry although a risk of showers. To remain above freezing through to racing

Chepstow
Heavy
Outlook: 4-7mm of rain on Tuesday, mainly dry with a chance of showers on Wednesday and Thursday and dry on Friday

Saturday

Leopardstown
Chase – Soft, yielding in places; Hurdle – Soft, heavy in places
Outlook: 34mm of rain over weekend, unsettled through the week

Musselburgh (races Sunday too)
Good to soft
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 – Soft, heavy in places; Hurdle – heavy, soft in places with waterlogged parts in home straight
Outlook: Inspection passed on Tuesday but more inspections are expected with the hurdles course borderline raceable and more rain forecast.

Wetherby
Heavy, soft in places
Outlook: 15-20mm of sleet/rain on Tuesday before turning more settled. Expected to be heavy but raceable with current forecast

Sunday

Leopardstown
Chase – Soft, yielding in places; Hurdle – Soft, heavy in places
Outlook: 34mm of rain over weekend, unsettled through the week

Musselburgh
Good to soft
Outlook: risk of frost overnight Saturday into Sunday with temperatures expected to drop to -1C

Read more:

Willie Mullins hoping ban on amateurs will be lifted in time for Cheltenham

Willie Mullins hails exceptional novice chase team as strongest he's ever had

Affordability checks a bigger threat than Covid impact, warns Jockey Club chief

Next stop Cheltenham: Paisley Park to miss rearranged Cleeve Hurdle at Wetherby

'I'm going to be box-walking!' – Laura Pearson taking month off to protect claim

Dublin Racing Festival 2021: essential information for the races at Leopardstown

Get clued up with the latest Cheltenham Festival tips and odds with our free microsite. The best Cheltenham betting advice and exclusive free betting offers all in one place.