Snow threat prompts Chepstow inspection

Welsh Grand National due to be run on Saturday.

Officials at Chepstow have announced a precautionary inspection ahead of the rescheduled Coral Welsh Grand National meeting on Saturday.

The high-profile fixture was originally due to take place on December, but was called off due to a waterlogged track.

Two weeks on, it is the threat of frost and snow that is causing issues – and on Thursday morning, clerk of the course Libby O’Flaherty called a precautionary check for 2.30pm on Friday.

She said: “We’ve called a precautionary inspection because from midday until mid-afternoon (on Friday) we’ve got snow forecast.

“We’re currently raceable. The course is completely covered and we’ve got great grass cover. There’s a little bit of leaf frost this morning, but there’s no frost in the ground.

“We could get one centimetre of snow (on Friday), we could get 10 or we could get nothing at all.

“We’re just managing expectations.”

Racing at Wincanton on Saturday is also under threat. With the course frozen in places on Friday morning, an inspection has been called for midday on Friday.

The cold snap is also being felt in Ireland, with Thursday’s Clonmel card abandoned and Saturday’s meeting at Fairyhouse subject to a Friday inspection at midday.

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