Wednesday’s jumps action subject to morning checks

PA Sport Reporters
January 9, 2024 1:19 pm

Both Doncaster and Leicester have called precautionary inspections for 8am.

Doncaster clerk of the course Paul Barker is confident Wednesday’s meeting will go ahead if the weather forecast is accurate.

There was a slight grass frost on Tuesday morning and with similar temperatures forecast overnight, a precautionary inspection has been called for 8am.

However, Barker reports the course to have been frost-free by 10am on Tuesday and as long as the weather does not differ widely from what is expected, no problems are anticipated.

“We were raceable by 10am today after being a little bit crispy this morning. The forecast is pretty similar for tonight, although it is due to get cooler earlier tonight,” said Barker.

“Because this morning was a little crispy, we felt it was only right that we called an inspection but if the forecast is right, we should be OK.

“We’ve got some really good fields which is great to see. We had a relatively good mid-December fixture and were a little bit quieter on the 29th.

“It’s bizarre really as this fixture did exactly the same last year, we had 90 runners then, so it is obviously one that works really well.”

There is also a precautionary 8am inspection for Wednesday’s other jumps card at Leicester.

“It just depends on the forecast. We’re hoping it clouds over to keep the temperatures up, but it went down to -3C last night and it’s taken a bit of shifting,” said clerk of the course Jimmy Stevenson.

“I wouldn’t want it as cold tomorrow but it is not forecast to be, so that is what we are hoping for. We won’t know until the morning, though.

“Today was supposed to be the coldest day, so that is what we are hoping for.”