By Andrew Atkinson
Ascot’s meeting on Saturday is expected to go ahead amid the recent postponed meetings, due to the harsh weather conditions that has hit racing this year.
“We are a mixture of soft and heavy in places – otherwise we anticipate that all that frost will have come out of the ground.
“A combination of melting snow and further rain will inevitably nonetheless make for very testing ground.
“It does leave it fairly wet at the moment,” said clerk of the course Chris Stickels.
Ascot’s meeting features the Grade 2 Novices Chase with entries including If The Cap Fits, The Big Breakaway, Igor, Hurricane Harry and Alnadam. The Listed Betway Swinley Chase also features on the seven-race card.
“We had a bit of snow at the beginning of last week, and there is further rain forecast this week.
“With the rain we have forecast, I wouldn’t imagine it would be a threat to us at all, but it will leave it testing.
“Saturday at this stage looks dry, albeit it is a while away, and things can change.
“That will leave us with similar ground to now with a mixture of soft and heavy. Which way it’ll be will depend on the nature of the rainfall,” said Stickels.
