Fixture at Down Royal cancelled due to frost

The Turf Club has announced that the fixture scheduled for Down Royal on Wednesday has been cancelled "due to frost" - the fixture will now take place on Wednesday 11th February 2015.

Early on Monday morning the track was covered in snow and judged to be unfit for racing, despite snow thawing quickly. Following below-zero temperatures on Monday night the fixture has now been outright cancelled for the scheduled date.

In a statement from the Turf Club before 9am on Wednesday morning they explained that “the temperature at Down Royal is presently -6 degrees celsius and is not set to rise during today, while another severe frost is predicted overnight.

“This [re-scheduled] meeting will close for fresh entries on Thursday 5th February with declarations to run to be made by 10am on Tuesday 10th February and the same programme of races will be scheduled. Trainers are reminded that entries already made must be repeated and the time of the first race will be 1.30pm.”

The track was due to stage a seven-race card on Wednesday.

Talking on Monday officials at Leopardstown said they are "not unduly concerned"about freezing temperatures affecting Sunday's prestigious Hennessy Gold Cup fixture.

Leopardstown manager Pat Keogh explained; "It all depends on what daytime temperatures get to. We're being told it will get to a few degrees below zero at night this week, but we're also supposed to get reasonable daytime temperatures," he said.

“Obviously it is something we will keep under review but we are not unduly concerned based on what we are being told about the week ahead.”

Ahead of Thursday’s meeting at the Clonmel course the situation there is currently being monitored. “The plan is still to race,” said manager DJ Histon.

In the UK Wednesday’s meetings at Ludlow and Carlisle have also been cancelled due to frozen tracks.