JUMP racing's involuntary break ends today as an ease in the freezing weather means action will resume on at least two courses. Newbury and Ayr will stage the first National Hunt fixtures since last Saturday and there may also be racing on turf at Catterick, subject to an inspection this morning.
Thursday's thaw at Ayr meant officials were always confident racing would go ahead today. And an ease in the cold snap allowed the second day of Newbury's Tote Gold, Trophy meeting to be given the go-ahead following an inspection yesterday.
A course spokesman said: "The meeting is on. There is no frost left in the ground and the going is good to soft, though softer than that in the straight on the hurdles track."
The £100,000 Tote Gold Trophy - formerly known as the Schweppes Hurdle - thus improves an unfortunate record which has seen it abandoned nine times in its 33-year history.
However, hopes are less high at Catterick where racing is subject to an inspection at 7.00 a.m. Racecourse secretary Beverley Kilvington said: "There is a slight chance of racing taking place. There is a light covering of snow and a small amount of frost in the ground."
And Uttoxeter's Singer and Friedlander National Trial meeting was called off after an inspection, yesterday.
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