RACING NEWS: LEOPARDSTOWN ARE not expecting weather problems to interfere with Sunday's Toshiba Irish Champion Hurdle card while hopes are also growing for tomorrow's Thyestes fixture at Gowran Park.
However, the prospects of “third time lucky” for Fairyhouse’s Normans Grove Chase card on Friday don’t appear to be so good.
The meeting scheduled for last Sunday had to be postponed 48 hours due to two inches of snow, but the postponement didn’t work either and now the card has been moved to Friday.
However, the Fairyhouse manager Caroline Grey reported yesterday: “We would have to be more hopeful than confident. The snowfall melting waterlogged the place, and although there has been no significant rainfall since, Thursday could be a bogey day. They are telling us we could get wintery showers or rain.”
The going is currently “heavy” at Leopardstown, but no problems are expected at the Co Dublin course.
“We could get 10 to 12mm of rain between Wednesday and Thursday, but after that there is no rain of any consequence being forecast,” Leopardstown manager Tom Burke said.
“We’re not worried at the moment, but the weather is so changeable you never know what’s around the corner.”
The Gowran authorities are “very optimistic” for tomorrow’s Thyestes Chase fixture, which also includes the Galmoy Hurdle.
Clerk of the course Paddy Graffin said yesterday: “There was a lot of water on the track on Monday but it has all disappeared. It is perfectly raceable now, and although conditions will be testing I am very optimistic.”
