Sandown and Wetherby face morning checks

PA Sport Reporters
February 5, 2021 4:15 pm

High-profile Saturday cards threatened by further rain.

Sandown’s all-chase fixture remains under threat from waterlogging despite passing an inspection on Friday afternoon.

A precautionary inspection will be held at the Esher course at 8am, as more rain could fall overnight.

Twelve millimetres of rain on Thursday evening had resulted in waterlogged places in the home straight, forcing officials to have a look at 3pm on Friday.

Clerk of the course Andrew Cooper tweeted: “We have passed the 3pm inspection @sandownpark and will hold a Precautionary Inspection at 8am on Saturday given the potential for overnight rain. The Going remains Heavy, Soft in places.”

The six-race card features the Grade One Virgin Bet Scilly Isles Novices’ Chase and the Grade Two Cotswold Chase, transferred from Cheltenham’s abandoned meeting last weekend.

The Cleeve Hurdle was switched to Wetherby but that all-hurdles programme is subject to an 8am inspection.

The chase track was found to be an unraceable on Friday morning which meant the three chases, highlighted by the Grade Two Towton Novices’ Chase, had to be scratched.

The track tweeted: “Sadly, the steeplechase course has not improved enough & with further rain expected tonight, we have decided to cancel all steeplechase races for tomorrow & revert to the pre-planned all hurdle programme.

“The hurdle course has improved greatly & would be fit to race on today (Friday). The ground remains heavy. However, in view of the fact that there is rain forecast for tonight, we will stage a precautionary inspection at 8am on Saturday morning to check conditions again.”

Sunday’s meeting at Musselburgh must pass a precautionary inspection at 8am on raceday.

No problems are anticipated for the first day of a two-day fixture, but temperatures are expected to drop on Sunday, prompting a morning check.

Carlisle’s meeting on Monday is already subject to an inspection.

Officials will check conditions at 8am on Saturday as the course is currently waterlogged in places with sub-zero temperatures forecast over the weekend.

Sedgefield’s jumps card on Wednesday has been abandoned. The course is waterlogged and the forecast is described as “horrendous”.