Naas to escape worst of winds

THE NAAS authorities were yesterday thanking their Co Kildare location ahead of this afternoon’s fixture which is expected to escape the worst of any forecast storm-force winds.

“If we were Galway or Sligo or a track in the west we might be in trouble, because that’s where the worst of the winds are expected,” said Naas manager Tom Ryan. “It would take winds of up to 50mph to put us in an unsafe situation. The main problem would be with running rails and wing fences.

“But we are being told we will get winds of 35mph. The ground is soft but fine.”

It’s the possibility of heavy rain that is causing concern at Fairyhouse for tomorrow’s Grade Two card. “We are being told to expect up to 10mm on Saturday, and if we get what is forecast we will be fine,” said the Fairyhouse manager Caroline Grey yesterday.

There is confidence that Cork’s meeting tomorrow will go ahead, with manager Michael O’Neill reporting: “We are supposed to get some rain between noon and five on Saturday, and if the forecast is correct then we don’t have an issue.”