Getting to grips with conditions

RACING: Some of the trainers of Ireland's top Cheltenham hopes are having to quickly adapt to the current cold weather which threatens to play havoc with this weekend's racing prospects.

Even though a 7.30 inspection will be held this morning to see if racing can go ahead at Thurles, the prospects for the Co Tipperary track seem to be good compared to the likes of Fairyhouse on Saturday and Punchestown on Sunday.

Four inches of snow was lying on Fairyhouse yesterday afternoon and the track manager Dick Sheil admitted: "At the moment it doesn't look great."

Up to three inches of snow was lying on Punchestown and the racing manager Richie Galway reported: "It will be 48 hours before we know exactly where we stand but there must be a doubt about going ahead."

In contrast there was good news from Downpatrick who expect no problems for Sunday's scheduled card.

There was also an upbeat bulletin from Thurles yesterday which perfectly indicated the division in weather experiences between the east of the country and elsewhere.

The Thurles manager Pierce Molony said: "It's a beautiful day here with no snow and we could have raced at 5.30 this morning. Met Éireann haven't been able to give me an exact forecast for the next 24 hours but we're basically inspecting because other parts of the country are so bad. I've had phone calls from my daughters in Dublin wondering if we will be able to go ahead and they can't believe we've had no snow."

Snow is also not a problem for the Beef Or Salmon camp in Co Limerick and the trainer of the Cheltenham Gold Cup hope, Michael Hourigan said yesterday: "It's the most beautiful day here, not a cloud in the sky. We haven't been stopped at all. The horse is A1 after his gallop on Monday and is having a little physio today."

Tom Taaffe, who is in charge of the shortest priced Irish Gold Cup hope Kicking King hasn't been stopped in his work either but it has been no easy task for the trainer based on the other side of the county in Straffan.

"If you're on the east coast snow is a problem but it's simply a question of having to adapt to the elements around you," he said.

"My staff have been great and there hasn't been a problem. We harrowed the gallops here through the night, doing them every two hours, and it paid off because we were able to do what we wanted to do," he added.

Taaffe could have as many as five runners at Cheltenham with Emotional Moment (World Hurdle), Tumbling Dice (Coral Cup), Beautiful Vision (Bumper) and possibly today's intended runner Kings Advocate (three mile novice hurdle) joining Kicking King.

Jessica Harrington also hopes to run five at the festival but the erratic nature of the current weather is illustrated by how little impact the cold has had on her yard in Moone. "We rode out four lots this morning and sent another lot to the Curragh and there has been no problem at all. We're only getting showers and there has been no frost," she said.

In addition to Moscow Flyer (Champion Chase) and Macs Joy (Champion Hurdle), Harrington also hopes to run Colca Canyon in the Mildmay of Flete and both Ulaan Baatar and Strike Back in the Arkle.

Other news yesterday centred on Tony McCoy being booked to ride Essex in the Smurfit Champion Hurdle by trainer Michael O'Brien. Essex's partner in both the Pierse Hurdle and the Totesport Triphy, Barry Geraghty, is committed to Macs Joy.

If racing does get the green light at Thurles, Kings Advocate should be up to winning the opening maiden hurdle for the Kicking King team while Barry Geraghty can also land the next on Tigerlion.

Over The Bar returned to action after a long lay-off on this course behind Twist N Shout over two miles. The extra mile of this afternoon's Beginners Chase should be much more suitable while Berkerys Treasure looks a better option than the course runner-up Offshore Account in the bumper.