Down Royal facing inspection ahead of Tuesday’s fixture

Parts of the Chase track were unfit for racing on Monday afternoon due to frost

The current forecast is for temperatures to remain low until midnight and rise gradually thereafter with up to 10mm (approx) of rain overnight into Tuesday evening. File photograph: Inpho
The current forecast is for temperatures to remain low until midnight and rise gradually thereafter with up to 10mm (approx) of rain overnight into Tuesday evening. File photograph: Inpho

Down Royal will have to pass an 8am inspection to see if Tuesday's fixture can go ahead.

Parts of the course were unfit for racing due to frost on Monday . The weather outlook is for temperatures to rise gradually overnight.

Trainer Henry De Bromhead will be hopeful for a green light with a handful of runners set to make the long journey north from his Tramore yard.

They include Decimation who has finished runner up in his three starts to date but looks the one to beat under Rachael Blackmore in the opening maiden hurdle.

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His stable companion Alice O'Byrne has half a length to make up on Moonlight Glory in the following mares handicap hurdle on Limerick form over Christmas. However she does have a crucial 5lbs swing in the weights.

Top amateur jockey Jamie Codd is on board Gordon Elliott's Champagne Sparkles in the bumper and any improvement from this one's debut at Punchestown should be significant.

The form of his third to The Banger Doyle on that occasion has been boosted by a victory since for the fourth.

Brian O'Connor

Brian O'Connor

Brian O'Connor is the racing correspondent of The Irish Times. He also writes the Tipping Point column