Kempton Racecourse to conduct a morning inspection ahead of Friday's race meeting. Regrettably, the scheduled card at Bangor has been called off due to a waterlogged track.
During the early afternoon on Thursday, concerns arose as certain sections of the course were submerged under water, prompting a 4 pm inspection. With precipitation falling in the form of rain, sleet, and snow, the decision to abandon the races was an obvious one. The situation was exacerbated by the fact that the two furlongs following the finish line were completely inundated. Furthermore, the forecast predicted further rainfall.
In Doncaster, Thursday's afternoon meeting had to be cancelled due to heavy snowfall. Despite initially passing an early morning inspection, the weather took a turn just an hour before the first race, with snow falling steadily. By the time the jockeys were preparing to mount their horses in the paddock, an inspection was called. A delegation comprising course officials, jockeys, and stewards ventured onto the track, but even in that short time, visibility deteriorated significantly, leading to the inevitable abandonment of the meeting.
Clerk of the course, Paul Barker, expressed his disappointment, stating, "It's very discouraging." He explained that the track seemed fine during the morning inspection, without any snowfall overnight. However, as the first race approached, the snowfall intensified, causing concerns.
Barker consulted the weather station, which predicted an additional 45 minutes of snowfall, followed by freezing temperatures that would prevent any thawing. He acknowledged, "You just can't beat Mother Nature." Doncaster was not the only venue affected, as officials at Thurles had to cancel their races due to heavy rain. The meeting has been rescheduled for Tuesday, February 13.
Additionally, Kempton's National Hunt fixture on Friday is subject to a precautionary inspection at 7:30 am due to the threat of rain, while Uttoxeter's Saturday meeting must pass an 8:30 am precautionary inspection on Friday.