Ayr optimistic for Monday

The domestic National Hunt calendar has been wiped out since Thursday because of sub-zero temperatures and heavy snowfall,

Ayr's meeting on Monday, however, looks set to defeat the elements as the track was raceable on Sunday.

Clerk of the course Emma Marley said on Sunday morning: "It was 2C overnight and warmer temperatures have moved in.

"I think the weather on the west coast is better than anywhere else in the UK.

"It was 7C yesterday which helped massively with the thaw and we are perfectly raceable.

"It will be 3C tonight and is due to be dry with sunny spells tomorrow.

"We have no inspection planned."

The outlook was far bleaker at Musselburgh and Kempton as both meetings scheduled for Sunday fell victim to the cold snap.

Frost was the problem for the jumps fixture at Musselburgh, while Kempton's all-weather card was hit by heavy snow.

With Sunday afternoon's card at Fontwell having been abandoned on Saturday, the only action on Sunday was at Punchestown in Ireland.

Wolverhampton's meeting on the all-weather on Monday is subject to a 6.30am precautionary inspection on raceday morning.

Saturday's fixture at Dunstall Park was called off halfway through the card after heavy snowfall.

The snow is still on the track but groundstaff will undertake a huge operation to make the course raceable.

Clerk of the course Fergus Cameron said on Sunday afternoon: "In view of our current position, an inspection is sensible.

"But if the forecast is correct we are confident of racing."

Tuesday's meeting at Sedgefield is in far greater doubt, though, with a 12.30pm inspection having been called on Monday.

The course is currently frozen in places and under two to three inches of snow.

Clerk of the course Phil Tuck said: "We've got two to three inches of snow on the track so it will need to warm up pretty quick to thaw it all."

Frozen Market Rasen, who are also due to race on Tuesday, is covered by 15cm of snowfall.

An 8am precautionary inspection on Monday was called on Saturday.

Carlisle's meeting on Wednesday is also in doubt due to a frozen track.

A 2pm inspection has been called on Monday, with snow on top of the frozen surface

Overnight temperatures have dipped to as low as minus 7C at the Cumbria venue.

Acting clerk of the course Kirkland Tellwright said: "The problem really is frost rather than snow.

"There has been two very keen frosts which has got right into the ground."

Big weekend meeting

Officials at Newbury, by contrast, hope their decisive early action in putting down frost covers will enable the course to beat the weather ahead of their big meeting on Saturday.

The likes of Long Run, Sprinter Sacre, Cue Card and Zarkandar are all due to turn up in Berkshire at the weekend for their final starts before the Cheltenham Festival.

Clerk of the course Richard Osgood said on Sunday afternoon: "We had no more than one centimetre of snow last night, and most of that has melted on the racing line.

"The forecasts for the rest of this week vary, but there is no more snow, by the looks of it.

"There is also a chance of drizzle, which means the temperatures are rising and it will help get rid of the snow."

"It's too far out to make a prediction yet, but hopefully putting the covers down early will be a massive help - I wanted them down before the first frost."