PROSPECTS for Sunday's rescheduled Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup meeting are quite bright. Most of the frost had disappeared from the track at Leopardstown yesterday afternoon and the going was reported to be good to yielding.
Navan, which had to postpone its meeting last Saturday, report "no problems" with tomorrow's card, which includes the Webster Handicap Chase, in which the Hennessy entry, Flashing Steel, has been left in as a precautionary measure.
In Britain, with signs of the beginning of a thaw, the chance of turf racing resuming are promising. But the slightly milder weather has arrived to late to save today's scheduled meeting at Newbury which was abandoned because of snow and frost after a morning inspection yesterday.
Clerk of the course Richard Pridham reported that conditions had not improved sufficiently to save the fixture despite a slight rise in temperature.
However, Pridham anticipates a further improvement in conditions and is more hopeful that tomorrow's Tote Gold Trophy card will take place.
Officials at Uttoxeter have delayed a final decision on whether tomorrow's meeting will be able to go ahead until this morning following yesterday's inconclusive noon inspection.
Conditions have improved substantially at Ayr where racing is also due to take place tomorrow. Clerk of the course Mark Kershaw said: "Conditions have improved substantially overnight and with a rise in temperatures the frost is thawing quite quickly."
Tomorrow's other turf fixture is scheduled for Catterick where they will hold an inspection this morning. A course groundsman reported: "The course is frozen at the moment, but it is thawing rapidly. We have a light covering of snow but that is going quickly."
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