Weight of expectation on Imprimis

Veteran trainer Alan Bailey admits his consistent runner faces a tough assignment, but nevertheless predicts a big run.

"He's improved an awful lot over the past couple of months and while it's a step up in class and a tough race, I'd expect him to run well," said Bailey. "Paul Cole's horse (Eisteddfod) looks to have a good chance but this seven furlongs is ideal for our horse and I'm looking forward to it. He's obviously gone up a lot in the weights, but he's deserved to after what he's done and he's earned us 30,000 in the last month.

"He had a lot of leg trouble a while back. He was third to the July Cup winner Sakhee's Secret one day and then chipped a bone in his knee. We sorted that out and then he had a problem with another leg and maybe now he is finally getting back to his best.

"I started to think he was just a Southwell horse at one stage, but he's run well at all of the all-weather tracks now and he's really well in himself at the moment. I'm hopeful rather than confident."

As always, The Scotsman's naps are hopeful rather than confident, so Imprimis Tagula carries today's best bet tag.

Hope is also what officials at both tracks are clinging to ahead of the scheduled all-weather fixtures at Kempton and Lingfield today, and whether racing goes ahead or not hinges on 6.30am precautionary inspections.

Although Lingfield raced yesterday, the possibility of further frost and snow overnight has prompted clerk of the course Neil MacKenzie Ross to check again in the morning. He said: "We thought we better what the weather brings overnight." It is a similar situation over at Kempton. "We've just received an updated forecast and we could get between three and five centimetres of snow tonight," said clerk of the course Barney Clifford. "We are perfectly raceable at the moment and the ambulance cover is sorted as well."

Lingfield and Southwell were left to fly the flag yesterday after Wolverhampton's abandonment.

There appears to be little light at the end of the tunnel for National Hunt enthusiasts with another two of next week's meetings already abandoned. Last Sunday's meeting at Plumpton was the last turf fixture to be held in Britain and with the cold snap showing no signs of ending, it may be another week before the jumpers are back in action on that surface.

Monday meetings at Ayr and Taunton fell by the wayside earlier in the week and Tuesday's action is heading the same way with Newcastle already off and Leicester checking at 3.30pm today.