Weather doubt for Thurles' big day

RACING: Thurles faces a crucial 1.0 p.m. inspection today to see if it will be able to stage its biggest fixture of the year tomorrow.

The track manager, Pierce Molony, admitted yesterday that the fate of the meeting is in "the lap of the gods", but stressed an alternative date is likely if the weather claims tomorrow.

"The course was unraceable this morning after we had a black frost, but then at 1.30 today we could have raced," Molony said. "It's so changeable and Met Éireann weren't able to give me a definite forecast about Wednesday night.

"It all depends on the forecast. Obviously we would prefer to race on Thursday, but an alternative date is being considered. Hopefully it won't come to that," he added.

The fixture scheduled for Navan today was abandoned early yesterday afternoon due to the cold snap. The track was unraceable.

Thurles will be keen to go ahead with the Grade Two Kinloch Brae Chase, which is likely to feature last year's winner Native Upmanship.

Florida Pearl, an intended runner at Ascot on Saturday, remains among the entries at Thurles as Willie Mullins keeps his options open with the weather doubts in Britain.

The Carlow trainer also has Alexander Banquet, another former winner of the Hennessy, for the Leopardstown highlight.

Davenport Milenium remains on course for the Champion Hurdle despite Mullins being less than impressed with his fifth in Sunday's AIG.

"He has been just alright since, not exactly jumping out of his skin, but okay. I was hard enough on him for the last month to get him back, so he will have a little break now and then we can concentrate on getting him right for Cheltenham," he said.