Weather concerns for Peterborough Chase meeting

PA Sport Reporters
December 6, 2023 12:19 pm

Officials will assess conditions on Thursday afternoon.

Sunday’s Peterborough Chase meeting at Huntingdon is under threat due to waterlogging.

While conditions at the Cambridgeshire track have improved since Tuesday, when parts of the home straight were submerged in water, another band of heavy rain is due on Thursday.

As a result clerk of the course Roderick Duncan and his team will inspect the track at 2pm on Thursday to assess conditions.

“It’s a lot better than it was, there is still standing water in a few places, including the start of the Peterborough Chase,” said Duncan.

“The water levels are starting to drop now, but unfortunately looking at the forecast they are just going to get topped up again tomorrow.

“It is not just the rain we’ll get that is the issue, the rain they get in the Northampton area will put us in trouble.

“As we’ve only just called the inspection no discussions have yet taken place about the possibility of rescheduling the Peterborough Chase.”

Prospects for the rest of the week are difficult to gauge at this stage with almost everywhere forecast heavy rain on Thursday.

Market Rasen on Thursday is currently described as soft, heavy in places with some standing water but not on the racing line.

On the same day Wincanton are inspecting at 8am and while the course is currently raceable, a yellow weather warning for rain is in place putting the meeting in grave danger.

Leicester on Thursday had already been abandoned.

Exeter’s meeting on Friday is subject to a 7.30am precautionary inspection on raceday due to the same weather warning affecting Wincanton.

At Sedgefield ahead of Friday the going is already heavy with rain forecast all day Thursday.

Wetherby are scheduled to race on Saturday but the course was waterlogged in places on the back straight on Tuesday. Wednesday is due to be dry but 15mm is forecast on Thursday.

There are currently no reported problems at Sandown, Chepstow or Aintree for their weekend meetings.

Wednesday’s meeting at Haydock was cancelled due to frost but Ludlow staged the first British jumps action since Sunday after passing a 7.30am inspection.