Big freeze takes its toll

TODAY’s meetings at Huntingdon and Ludlow have been abandoned due to frozen tracks.

Huntingdon’s National Hunt fixture was due to the feature the Peterborough Chase and, despite putting covers down, the frost had still got into the ground yesterday.

Clerk of the course Sulekha Varma inspected the track at 8am and was forced to make an early call. Ludlow abandoned when an 8am inspection yesterday found the track to be frozen in places with little chance of a thaw before racing.

Cheltenham will stage an 8am inspection of the Cross Country course tomorrow. Situated in the middle of Prestbury Park, the unique course is currently unraceable but there is confidence given the improving forecast.

Yesterday’s meetings at Hexham and Leicester fell to the freezing conditions.