Kempton and Warwick cards subject to precautionary morning inspections

Both Kempton and Warwick will have to pass precautionary inspections at 8am on raceday if Saturday’s feature events are to go ahead.

Kempton clerk of the course Barney Clifford initially declared the track fit for action on Friday morning, having brought forward a planned 2pm inspection, and was not anticipating any further issues.

However, a revised forecast for sub-zero temperatures overnight has forced a rethink and the fixture, which is highlighted by the Coral Silviniaco Conti Chase and Coral Lanzarote Handicap Hurdle, will now require a morning check.

Clifford said: “We’re now forecast a -2C or possible -3C (frost) tonight, so it’s prudent to call a precautionary inspection.

“I think the cloud cover is clearing and it’s a northerly wind, that’s the latest from the Met Office.

“Last week we were forecast -1C and we got down to minus -6C, so I’m not going to take any chances.”

The William Hill Half A Mill Classic Handicap Chase is due to highlight Warwick’s seven-race card, with clerk of the course Nessie Chanter also citing an overnight frost as the reason for a morning assessment.

She said: “We passed our 2pm inspection, we are raceable at present and we are putting the covers down.

“We need to see some further improvement this afternoon at the four fences down the back straight as the take offs for those fences are still frozen, but if we need to, we can bypass them.

“The forecast is for temperatures to drop to -2C between 4am and 8am, so we have called a precautionary inspection for 8am.”

Saturday’s Fairyhouse meeting is also subject to a precautionary inspection at 7.30m, while Fontwell’s Sunday card must pass a 9am check on Saturday.

Friday’s meetings at Naas and Exeter both went ahead after passing morning inspections, but it was not such good news at Wolverhampton, with the all-weather fixture succumbing to snow.

A post on X read: “Despite efforts to turn the track around after overnight snowfall, unfortunately improvement has not been quick enough for racing this evening.”