'We hope the forecast isn't that bad' - Newbury braced for frozen temperatures

Sub-zero temperatures could threaten Newbury's red-hot card on Saturday with officials on Monday taking the precaution of protecting the track with fleece covers.

Jumps superstar Altior will bid for a fourth victory in the Game Spirit, which will be run this weekend as the Betfair Cheltenham Free Bet Pot Builder Chase, while his Nicky Henderson-trained stablemate Champ is set to test his Magners Cheltenham Gold Cup credentials in the Betfair Denman Chase.

The card is headlined by the £125,000 Betfair Hurdle, the richest race of its kind in Britain.

However, the threat of Storm Darcy, which has brought heavy snow to parts of Britain this week, is looming over the Berkshire circuit. Speaking just after 2pm on Monday, Newbury's clerk of the course Keith Ottesen: "It's cold, but mainly dry.

"There's a bit of snow blowing around today and maybe tomorrow morning and potentially a bit on Thursday and Friday, but not huge amounts compared to the east of England. By the end of the week it could come from the west oddly enough as a south-easterly breeze turns around.

Altior: set to return to Newbury on SaturdayCredit: Alan Crowhurst / Getty Images

"Having spoken to the forecasters, the snow doesn't particularly get to us but it's just very cold all week and I think frost would be the worry.

"We've covered the track and done all we can, so we are just hoping for the best and that it isn't too cold."

The action from Newbury is set to headline the coverage on ITV4 and Ottesen, who described the going as soft, added: "It's a big investment for the racecourse, and any track, to use covers, but we've made the decision to do it.

"We're slightly bound to do it, whether they can withstand several days of -3C or -4C with daytime temperatures of only around 0C or 1C we'll see, but we can't not do it.

"Hand in hand with that, we've got to hope the forecast isn't as bad as it would seem at present. We're doing all we can and hoping for the best, while we'll monitor it and know more as the week goes on."

The ITV4 cameras are also set to screen three races from Warwick on Saturday including the Grade 2 Kingmaker Novices' Chase, which is the next port of call for the exciting Allmankind, who is two from two over fences.

The ground at Warwick was heavy, soft in places on Monday and a cold week is forecast, although temperatures could become milder from Friday.

Entries for Warwick on Saturday

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