Sandown call morning inspection for Saturday card

Sandown are relying on the frost covers giving them a “fighting chance” of beating the forecast overnight freeze having called an inspection ahead of Saturday’s racing.

Officials will assess conditions at 8am with temperatures set to drop below freezing in what is predicted to be one of the coldest nights of the winter so far.

Clerk of the course Andrew Cooper said: “We’re raceable as we stand but we’ve got a fair way to go and we’re calling it precautionary at this stage, but it is still an inspection at the end of the day.

“We’ve had a dusting of light snow this morning and that is shifting right now and in itself is of no concern, but we’re obviously going to have a cold night and probably the coldest we’ve had all winter.

“It could get down to -3C and certainly -2C which is getting to the top-end of frost cover protection in our experience and if you hit -4C, you get to thinking there could be some freezing going on under the covers and that is one of the reasons we’re obliged to have a look in the morning and see what’s happened overnight.

“We will also have the logistical challenge of getting the covers off the track and shifting a lot of covers in what is almost certainly going to be freezing temperatures.”

Sandown’s card is the main attraction on the first weekend of the new year, with the seven-race fixture headlined by the Unibet Veterans’ Handicap Chase and supported by a Listed event for mares.

However, Cooper is putting his faith in the frost covers to avoid the meeting being abandoned for the second year running.

He added: “It’s not a straightforward one and it’s not one I would like to suggest prospects and chances. Without covers I don’t think we would have a chance of surviving tonight’s frost, but the frost covers give us a fighting chance of getting this on.

“It’s important we see where we are first thing tomorrow morning then take it from there as sensibly as we can.”

An inspection will also take place at 8am at Wincanton ahead of their jumps fixture on Saturday, but Newcastle’s card has already been called off after the track failed two inspections on Friday.

Sunday’s card at Plumpton is subject to an inspection at 1pm on Saturday with freezing temperatures forecast overnight.