No jumps racing on Monday as cold snap continues

PA Sport Reporters
December 11, 2022 12:57 pm

All-weather action to fly the flag in Britain.

Monday’s British racing action will be confined to the all-weather as frozen tracks forced the cancellation of Market Rasen and Plumpton’s jumps cards.

Officials at Market Rasen were due to inspect at noon on Sunday but made a slightly earlier decision after another cold night and little chance of any improvement in conditions.

It was the same story at Plumpton, where temperatures dipped to minus 7C, leaving clerk of the course Marcus Waters facing a straightforward decision.

Frost claimed Plumpton's Monday card — Frost claimed Plumpton’s Monday card (John Walton/PA)

He said: “We got down to minus 7C at 8am after minus 5/6C overnight and then at 11am it was still minus 1C.

“We walked the track and it actually wasn’t as bad we thought, but there were just a few areas. If it had got down to minus 3C the frost covers probably would have worked, but at that temperature it’s just got underneath.

“It’s the fourth successive night of frost and the temperature isn’t forecast to rise too much today.”

Lingfield and Wolverhampton are both due to race on Monday and while no problems have been reported at the first-named venue, Wolverhampton will have to pass a precautionary inspection at 10am.

Clerk of the course Fergus Cameron remains upbeat about their chances of going ahead.

He said: “We have about an inch of snow lying across the site with the possibilities of a few further flurries later this evening and an overnight frost.

“The track is dry underneath that snow so the plan is to look tomorrow morning with a view to removing the snow and making the track raceable mechanically.

“We remain fairly optimistic.”

Catterick inspect on Monday morning (Mike Egerton/PA)

Catterick could be the sole jumps meeting on Tuesday, with the track reported to be “90 per cent” raceable and the meeting dependent on an 8am inspection on Monday.

The other scheduled meeting at Wincanton was called off on Sunday, after a 10am check showed the track was still frozen.

British action on Sunday was limited to a jumps fixture at Southwell, with Newcastle’s all-weather card abandoned for the second day running.

The track at Newcastle will be closely examined (Tim Goode/PA)

Saturday’s meeting at the track was called off shortly before the first race due to concerns from trainers and jockeys about conditions and the course reported “insufficient improvement” overnight.

Mark Spincer, managing director of the track’s owner ARC’s racing division, announced on Sunday that “further investigation” of the Tapeta surface will now take place.

A statement said: “Following the abandonment of racing at Newcastle yesterday, the team continued to undertake deep work across the track, whilst temperatures dropped to between minus 3C and minus 4C overnight.

“Further inspection early this morning, alongside BHA Racecourse Inspectorate, shows the track is in the same position as yesterday, hence the early abandonment of today’s meeting.

“Whilst the maintenance of the track at Newcastle has continued to follow all of the standard procedures throughout this period, there is further investigation to be done into the surface and sub surface. This work will commence immediately alongside the manufacturer and BHA as well as colleagues from ARC’s other Tapeta-based racecourses.

“Again, we would like to apologise for the inconvenience that this has caused everyone involved.”

Punchestown’s feature meeting was abandoned on Saturday, but Cork did get the go-ahead to race.

Officials at Newbury have already called a noon inspection on Monday for Wednesday’s card, with Exeter checking at noon on Tuesday for their Thursday fixture.