Freeze knocks out Wetherby
Saturday's meeting at Wetherby has been abandoned due to a frozen track and joins Sandown on the casualty list. Ffos Las are inspecting in the morning.
A 3pm inspection had been called by Wetherby clerk of the course Jonjo Sanderson, but even before that time the decision was taken.
He said: "I walked the course two hours ago and it had only improved marginally since this morning. The temperature peaked at a giddy 3C for about 40 minutes, but it is now dropping again. We are still frozen solid in places and frost will fall from 5pm and it's due to be minus 6C for five or six hours."
He added: "It's one of the easiest decisions I've ever had to make, unfortunately, as it's one of our good days. I asked the BHA about rescheduling the Towton Novices' Chase, but they said there are funding issues and opportunities for the same horses for the next three weeks."
Tim Long, clerk of the course at Ffos Las, covered the track earlier in the week in a bid to safeguard Saturday's fixture, which features the Welsh Champion Hurdle. However, frost crept under the covers after a chilly night and Long will check conditions at 9am.
"We had a sharper frost than expected on Thursday night, minus 5C verging on minus 6C at its worst. Unsurprisingly it does feel a bit frozen under the covers," he said.
"We are forecast a dry and clear day, with a maximum of 2C or 3C, and then it is due to remain clear into the night with the temperature dropping to minus 1C or 2C. Cloud cover is then forecast with some rain, but it's a question of how soon that comes in so we will look at 9am, when we will have a better idea."
3 February 2012
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