Horse racing: Ascot chiefs hoping weather will behave

Ascot officials have their fingers crossed the forecast bad weather does not scupper their meeting on Saturday featuring the BGC Long Walk Hurdle.

Racing is also scheduled for tomorrow and prospects appear to be better for the first day as colder weather moves in as the weekend approaches.

"The track is in good shape. It's good to soft ground at the moment. The frost covers have been down since Saturday," said clerk of the course Chris Stickels. "We are just waiting to see what happens with this weather.

"The forecast is for it to get colder as Thursday progresses, with a bit of sleet, and temperatures on Thursday night are set to drop quite low.

"With no frost in advance of Thursday we are not anticipating any major problems for Friday at this stage. Any snow forecast is supposed to be wet, sleety-type stuff, and we are not expecting it to lay.

"However, as Friday goes on the risk of snow showers with the forecast I've been provided appear to be greater. Friday night into Saturday morning it looks like we could be in for a bit of snow. It's just fingers crossed."

Meanwhile, Tranquil Sea staked a strong claim for the Ryanair Chase with a clear-cut success in the John Durkan Memorial Punchestown Chase at Fairyhouse yesterday. Edward O'Grady's charge was well-beaten in that race at the Cheltenham Festival last season, but the trainer has high hopes of a much better performance come March.

Winner of the Clonmel Oil chase on his seasonal reappearance, Tranquil Sea allowed Cooldine set a steady pace but always had him in his sights.

Andrew McNamara decided to take the 5-2 shot to the head of affairs at the penultimate fence and a great jump at the last sealed success to earn Tranquil Sea quotes as low as 6-1 for the Ryanair. Cooldine's stablemate J'y Vole stuck on well to get within three-quarters of a length of the winner at the line for the runner-up spot, with Roberto Goldback third.

"I'm delighted and he might go straight for the Ryanair now," said O'Grady. "He hasn't many options between now and then and Christmas is very close now anyway, where he would have to run over either two or three miles.

"This was always his pre-Christmas target and I'm delighted that he has achieved it. I'm pleased, too, that he has reversed Ryanair form with J'y Vole.

"Last season he ran too close to Cheltenham and we'll try to make a better job of it this time. It was unfortunate for a horse like him that they had to miss out on three fences in this race, but he has overcome that."