Big Freeze

Thers gonna be problems ahead!!!

If the weather forecast is correct, then it is unlikely that there will be any turf racing in the UK after today until the middle of next week at the earliest. Cheltenham next Saturday possibly under threat? We are in the amber alert snow zone.

If Ascot is off on Saturday stand by for Sprinter Sacre rerouting to the Game Spirit Chase, pushing Simonsig out into the Kingmaker.

Kingmaker could be very interesting!

Anyone living near Cheltenham fancy keeping us updated re weather and course conditions?
Be much appreciated if you could.
cheers

Snowed for much of the day though the course was completely covered to protect from frost a couple of days ago. Probably 3 inches but will be deeper in places where it has drifted. Stopped now.

i really think we are going to get a soft ground festival this year

Don't tell CVMichaelFishByrne that alleged. You'll be in trouble

me thinks simon claise will need to get a gigantic hair dryer blowin over the track to get any good in the going

Many many factors to consider when betting cheltenham races this year. Number of key races have been disrupted and all the key trials have been run on soft or heavy. If it comes up rattling fast (unlikely but possible) the markets would be in meltdown

weather not bad here today people bit of rain/sleet this morning but has cleared were due more snow tomoz an monday with minus temp all week people, cant see it being on next week unless theres a miracle, david bridgwater reported on racing post site this morning that he walked the track few days ago an said its like a road.

great stuff,keep the reports going lads,its much appreciated

@chief dan, dissapointing to hear as I was thinking of going next week. I have ascot membership and was hoping their might be a deal between the tracks. Be gutted if it doesn't take place next week and could really do with the pointers coming out of the meeting

Haven't been near the course today but in town, temperatures higher than forecast and about half the lying snow has gone. Probably less at the course which is more exposed and the temperatures lower. Freezing again now and the main problem for the coming week appears to be overnight frosts. If as predicted on various weather websites, then not a prayer for next Saturday.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a2S889SPU8g

latest update

Be a huge shame if trials day is cancelled, looks a cracking card

Frost last night but not a particularly hard one. Forecast has improved on overnight temperatures - still frosts but not as severe as previously forecast. Chance of catching some more snow in the morning which may well be the nail in the coffin. Will update tomorrow.

Turftrax has the entire course as Soft (not frozen under covers)

http://www.turftrax.co.uk/going_maps.html

Still hope yet, 50/50 I reckon.

hope so, card looks stellar especially if Doncaster is off.

Puffin Billy, The New One and Coneygree all entered in the Neptune Novices Hurdle - plus At Fishers Cross, the Hendo talking horse Cocktails at Dawn and McCain's She Ranks Me.

And that's one of the lower profile races on the card!

Freezing cold. Ice still on minor roads and pavements.

I'd be backing an adandonment on Saturday

Baldfred prices are Evs to go ahead 10/11 to be off

Fairly big thaw yesterday afternoon but frost again last night with a very light dusting of snow. Still icy as I type but temperature due to get above freezing by mid morning. Might be more snow overnight and the extent of this will probably determine our fate. If it is minimal, then there must be a chance. If it is material, then we are fecked.

there were some mummerings about the possibility of moving it back to Sunday.

Cheltenham's fate rests on overnight snowfall

BY TOM KERR 9:26AM 22 JAN 2013

THE fate of Cheltenham's massive Saturday meeting should be far clearer as dawn rises on Wednesday morning and the quantity of overnight snowfall becomes apparent.

Should snowfall come in at the lower end of the forecast 1cm-2cm then the meeting would have a reasonable chance of going ahead, especially after a thaw on Monday removed some of the snow cover already coating the racecourse's frost covers.

Clerk of the course at Cheltenham, Simon Claisse, said on Tuesday morning: "We had a little bit of a thaw yesterday and quite a bit of the snow on the covers has diminished. Another cold night [last night] though and it's currently dry but snow forecast for tonight.

"We're forecast 1cm-2cm of snow which will leave us in the balance for the weekend.

"I am no more optimistic than I was yesterday, I've been saying since Sunday that it all depends on what we get tonight.

"Two centimetres on 300 covers at 400 square metres each, 120,000 square metres, is a mass of material, whereas 1cm is half of that volume, so we have to hope we either get nothing or at the lower end of the forecast."

Should racing go ahead a legion of star names could be in action at Cheltenham, including Sprinter Sacre, Bobs Worth, Oscar Whisky, Tidal Bay and The New One.

However, if Wednesday dawns with much snow added to that already lying on the course the forecast gives little chance of it clearing in time for Saturday.

Claisse added: "The forecast does not give much hope of a thaw. Temperatures are [due to be] -2C and -3C overnight, particularly cold on Wednesday morning at -6C, and daytimes are 1.5C or 2C.

"We had a little thaw yesterday and may get a little today, but the crucial thing is how much snow we get tonight."

Contingency plans to stage meeting Sunday should Saturday fall to the weather according to twitter.
Should be applauded imo!

Hope they can get it on Saturday. Lot of rain forecast overnight and might be waterlogged again come Sunday!

Snowing in Cirencester for what its worth and snowing heavily too!

been snowing in chelt for last hour

Not snowing with me. Whereabouts are you dan?

of the evesham road by pitville gates still snowing ere m8 you

I'm about 1/4 of a mile from you. No snow here. Crazy.

Cheltenham Festival Trials day will switch to Sunday if Saturday off
• British Horseracing Authority agree to transfer of card
• Channel 4 in talks with track on whether to televise
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The crucial Cheltenham Festival Trials day will be switched tom Sunday if Saturday's card has to be abandoned this weekend.
Cheltenham's star-studded card scheduled for Saturday can, if abandoned that day, be moved in its entirety to Sunday, following agreement on Tuesday between the racecourse and the sport's ruling body. Such an arrangement, while not uncommon in Ireland, is rare in Britain but the fixture is particularly significant after the loss of all jump racing since Thursday to bad weather and also because it offers a last chance for trainers to test their horses at Cheltenham before the March Festival.

A statement from the racecourse stressed that everything will be done to ensure the raceday goes ahead on Saturday if at all possible and described "increased hope . . . as a result of the hard work of the groundstaff in removing snow lying on the frost covers today". The track remains unfrozen and raceable beneath frost covers that have been in place for a week.

"However," the statement continued, "a further 1cm to 2cm of snow is forecast to fall tonight and, in the event that the course is unraceable, Cheltenham has reached agreement with the British Horseracing Authority that, weather permitting, Festival Trials Day could instead be staged 24 hours later on Sunday.

"Cheltenham is continuing to liaise with Channel 4 as to the possibility of Festival Trials Day being broadcast on the channel on Sunday, should the eight-race card be moved to that date."

The highlight of Festival Trials Day is the Argento Chase, in which the Gold Cup contenders Bobs Worth, Imperial Commander, Grands Crus and Tidal Bay are among the expected runners. Oscar Whisky's credentials for the World Hurdle will be tested in the Cleeve Hurdle, while Sprinter Sacre will take part in the Victor Chandler, salvaged from the card lost at Ascot last Saturday.

The possible resumption of jump racing on Wednesday depends on Ayr, where an inspection is arranged for 7.30am because of the threat of frost. Even the all-weather cards at Kempton and Lingfield are subject to early inspections, while the cards at Catterick and Exeter have been abandoned.

There will be no jump racing in Britain on Thursday, Fakenham having called off their card because of snow on the course. Warwick's card had already been lost.

Snow is also lying at Doncaster and Huntingdon and inspections will be held at both tracks on Wednesday with a view to assessing their chances of staging cards scheduled for Friday.

eboue deff coming down m8 big flakes an settling again , forecast for thursday is -7 as well not good

Still snowing but it is very wet and not freezing at the moment. See what the morning brings!

If it does move to Sunday and Channel 4 don't televise it like a normal Saturday show then all the hullabaloo about the new look Channel 4 racing will sound very hollow.

Hopefully not too much damage done. Claisse will tell us soon, no doubt. Very hard frost due tonight but forecast temperatures for tomorrow now much higher than given a couple of days ago.....local radio talking about 5 or 6 degrees. I'm cautiously optimistic and worst case scenario would appear to be Sunday and flippers!

Bloody hell 5 or 6 degrees im moving from Leicester or forcast is similar to that but below...
Heres hoping

Met Office website has it not coming above freezing in Cheltenham tomorrow. It gets up to 5 on Friday night though and stays above freezing all day Saturday, and Sunday looks like a shorts and t-shirt day; so if its off Saturday, there should be no problems at all staging it Sunday.

Racing Post ‏@RacingPost
Cheltenham will inspect at 8am Friday to see if Saturday's meeting can go ahead.

I think that's a good call. Depending upon what happens tomorrow temperature wise, they can either go for Saturday or defer till Sunday. Still light snow in Cheltenham but it is very wet and temperatures above freezing. My concern about Sunday is the rain forecast late on Saturday and the possibility of waterlogging but what will be will be!

ATR website comments suggest thing might be looking up for Saturday, Might have to go bank Friday after all.....

I'm meant to be going to Wetherby a week Saturday, so was relieved to see that the cold snap should be over this weekend. There's rain forecast next week though; I'm just hoping there's not too much!

Speaking to RUK, Cheltenham's COTC Simon Claisse said: "Our main aim is removing the snow from the covers, we've got 40 or 50 people out there. The anticipation at the moment is that we will be able to give the meeting the go-ahead"

sounds like its looking a lot more rosy for saturday, well maybe not rosy but raceable