Doncaster set fair but Leicester look for a third time

This afternoon’s meeting at Doncaster will go ahead as planned but the card at Leicester must pass a third inspection at 12 noon.

Shortly after 7am Doncaster’s clerk of the course Paul Barker was confident temperatures had not dropped sufficiently to cause a problem but it was a different story for Jimmy Stevenson at Leicester.

By 8am the temperature on course had dropped to a chilly -4C but it is forecast to rise to 4C or 5C later on.

The track failed a second inspection at 10.30am but with temperatures slowly rising and a 1.05pm first race, officials are keen to give it every chance.

There are also issues at Wincanton on Friday where clerk of the course Dan Cooper and his team have called an 8.30am check for raceday.

The course is currently frozen in places with temperatures potentially going as low as -3C before racing.

An 8am precautionary inspection has also been called at Fontwell ahead of the meeting there on Thursday, also due to frost.