Horse racing: Frost sheets down as Musselburgh check

Conditions at the East Lothian track were perfectly raceable yesterday and, providing the forecast is correct, clerk of the course Anthea Morshead is confident that racing will go ahead.

"We're just having a look to be on the safe side but we'll race if the forecast is right," said Morshead yesterday. "We could race today with no problems and we are only due to get down to -1C overnight. It is then set to rise to +4C. We have no snow at the moment and we should keep missing the snow.

"We'll be covering vulnerable areas of the track with frost sheets just in case, so we're optimistic."

If the meeting does go ahead Musselburgh will hold a one-minute silence before the first race in memory of Peter Monteith, whose tragic death on Sunday stunned the racing community.

The Rosewell trainer saddled some 400 winners in a career spanning 28 seasons and was one of the best-loved figures on all five of Scotland's racecourses.

Meanwhile, Meeznah has been disqualified from the Investec Oaks after having tested positive for a banned substance.

The David Lanigan-trained three-year-old finished a neck second behind Snow Fairy in the Epsom Classic on 4 June, but that has now been stricken from the record.

A British Horseracing Authority disciplinary panel officially disqualified Meeznah yesterday morning after a post-race urine sample taken from the filly contained a metabolite of acepromazine (ACP), which is a prohibited substance.

Remember When finished third in the Oaks but has been promoted into second place, with the fourth home, Rumoush, ascending into third place.

Lanigan was fined 750 following Meeznah's disqualification, but owners Saif Ali and Saeed Altayer have pledged to stand by the fledgling Newmarket-based handler.

Bruce Raymond, racing manager for Ali and Altayer, said: "Obviously we knew about this for some time and it was inevitable. It had to go through the correct procedures and we're obviously disappointed she has lost second place.

"The inquiry was very thorough and every avenue was exhausted as to how it (ACP] has got in there.

"They (the BHA disciplinary panel] couldn't find any fault with David's stable management but somehow it has ended up in her bloodstream.

"The good thing is they can't attach any blame to anyone and we will be giving David our full support, and will continue to support him.

"Meeznah stays in training as a four-year-old and we're hopeful she can redeem herself."