Racing braced for devastating winter wipeout with Sandown and Wincanton cards under threat amid freezing cold snap

BRITISH racing is facing a devastating winter wipeout on Saturday with the cold blast set to decimate cards.

Sandown and Wincanton will both have to pass morning inspections ahead of their jumps fixtures.

PA

Expect to see some snow around the tracks on Saturday – if indeed racing goes ahead[/caption]

Newcastle have already cancelled their National Hunt meeting while Wolverhampton’s evening Flat action falls under a Met Office amber warning for snow.

Already the freezing cold snap has caused chaos – with farcical scenes at Musselburgh infuriating punters on Friday.

The card was abandoned just seven minutes before the first race was due off.

The Scottish track had undergone five inspections and racegoers had arrived only to be turned away without a single horse setting off.

And it doesn’t look much better over the other side of the Irish Sea either.

Naas hosts Grade 1 action on Sunday with the 2m4f Lawlor’s featuring Champion Bumper winner Jasmin De Vaux among others.

But the track must pass a 7.30am raceday inspection due to the threat of snow on Saturday night.

While Cork’s meeting on Saturday is subject to an 8am inspection with temperatures plunging to -2C overnight.

It means that, as things stand, Southwell’s Flat racing is the only action guaranteed to go ahead on Saturday.

Sandown’s clerk of the course Andrew Cooper told the Racing Post: “In light of the forecast we need to have a look, as there’s a bit of uncertainty overnight and there’s a possible freezing fog in the morning.

“We had a sharper frost than figures suggested on Thursday night, but we were raceable by midday on Friday.

“It’s going to drop again tonight though and temperatures could get to -1C or even -2C overnight, so it’s necessary to have a check.”

It’s been as low as -6C at Wincanton and bosses there admit they are ‘more hopeful than confident’ racing will go ahead.

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