Punters will have to rely on the all-weather action at Southwell today as the current cold snap has wiped out the day's jumps meetings.
Prospects for a resumption of racing on turf tomorrow look poor as inspections are scheduled to take place for the day's four meetings at Catterick, Haydock, Kempton and Stratford. Frost saw both of today's fixtures at Uttoxeter and Kelso fall by the wayside.
''It was called off at 1.10pm,'' said Uttoxeter's clerk of the course David McAllister. ''We gave it until the time of the first race and there is still frost in the ground, and plenty of it.
''It is a shame as where there is a good covering of grass. It has protected the track but where the grass is thin or worn it is solid.
It was the same story at Kelso where clerk of the course Johnnie Fenwicke-Clennell said: ''The course is frozen solid, it is still very cold and there is no sign of a thaw in the forecast.''
In addition Down Royal's meeting has also been cancelled because of frost. There will be a further inspection of the course at 2pm today with a view to staging tomorrow's card.
If conditions are favourable there will be a further inspection at 7am tomorrow. If the meeting is postponed it will take place on Wednesday.
The going has changed to slow for Southwell's all-weather meeting today but clerk of the course Michael Prosser expects to keep racing's show on the road.
He said: ''We would have had no problems racing today.
''We are expected to have five degrees of frost tonight but we will work the track throughout the night.
''I don't envisage any problems but we will monitor the situation.''
Officials at Kempton have called an inspection at noon today to see if tomorrow's meeting can go ahead.
Both the chase and hurdle courses are frozen at the Sunbury track and clerk of the course Brian Clifford is not optimistic over prospects for the card, which features the Tote Bookmakers Lanzarote Hurdle.
He said last night: ''It's not looking good. Both courses are frozen and I've called an inspection for noon tomorrow.
Haydock are hoping the weather forecasters have got it wrong if tomorrow's meeting is to stand any chance of going ahead.
A precautionary inspection has been called for 1pm today but racecourse manager Adam Waterworth warned yesterday that unless a thaw arrives soon, there is ''no hope'' that the meeting can go ahead.
''We need the forecast to be wrong - they've got it wrong already because it's supposed to be warming up now!
Officials at Catterick believe there is still a chance that tomorrow's meeting will go ahead.
An inspection will be held at 7.30 tomorrow as the course is frozen in places but a slight rise in temperature could see racing go ahead.
The course at Stratford is still frozen and an inspection will be held at 1pm today as planned.
However, prospects look bright for Sunday's meeting at Leopardstown where Istabraq is set to bid for a fourth successive victory in the AIG Europe Champion Hurdle.
The Dublin track was frost-free overnight and, although colder temperatures are forecast for the next two days, milder weather is expected over the weekend.
Racecourse manager Tom Burke said yesterday: ''We're pretty confident at the moment.
''We didn't have any frost last night and we would have been able to race today."
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