All-weather meeting at Lingfield called off due to bad weather as frost bites hard

The “all-weather” fixture on the Flat at Lingfield on Friday succumbed to the Arctic blast that has played havoc with the racing programme over the past week while the feature meeting at Kempton on Saturday was also abandoned after an inspection of the track on Friday morning, but ITV Racing has spared no effort to avoid a second blank weekend in a row and plans to show 11 races from four tracks, including the €100,000 Dan & Joan Moore Memorial Handicap Chase at Fairyhouse.

The bumper schedule could yet be winnowed down, however, as the meeting at Ffos Las, the only surviving turf fixture in Britain on Saturday, is subject to an inspection at 7.30am GMT, with temperatures at the track forecast to be close to freezing overnight.

Fairyhouse, meanwhile, faces an inspection at the same time, although temperatures are not expected to drop back below freezing before Saturday’s meeting.

“Parts of the course are still frozen, particularly on the chase track,” Brendan Sheridan, the clerk of the course, said on Friday. “The temperature at present is four degrees, and it’s to stay around that for the rest of the evening and not get down below freezing tonight. There’s also a drop of rain coming across tonight.”

If Ffos Las survives, the undoubted highlight of the card will be the Grade Two Towton Novices’ Chase, which was due to be staged at its traditional home of Wetherby but was switched to a hastily arranged card at the Welsh track when that meeting was abandoned on Wednesday.

It will be the first Grade Two event staged at the course and looks to be an excellent opportunity for Handstands (1.15) to add to his impressive success in a similar contest at Sandown in December. That win was over three miles but Ben Pauling’s gelding showed plenty of speed and should not be troubled by Saturday’s reversion to two and a half.

The remainder of the ITV Racing action is due to be staged on the synthetic tracks at Chelmsford and Newcastle, and while Lingfield’s all-weather did not live up to its billing on Friday, no inspections are currently planned at either course.

Chelmsford 1.30: The latest horse to improve abruptly for a switch to the James Owen yard is Carlton, a ready winner over track and trip on Thursday and still well in under a penalty.

Fairyhouse 1.45: Gavin Cromwell’s three-strong challenge is headed by Midnight It Is, who put up a career-best to win on his return from 10 months off last time.

Newcastle 2.00: The front-running Midnight Lion is edging up the weights and Alpine Sierra may have more luck running him down than he did over course and distance on New Year’s Day.

Chelmsford 2.10: Ravensbourne could finally lose her maiden tag off a career-low mark.

Ffos Las 2.25: Emma Lavelle’s Jesuila Des Mottes is one of the least exposed runners in the field and poised to make a successful handicap debut.

They are due to run at Chelmsford again. Photograph: Alan Crowhurst/Getty Images

Chelmsford 2.40: It is still early days for Apiarist on artificial surfaces and he is handily weighted on his form at Newcastle in December.

Ffos Las 2.58: A strong pace looks likely and that could set things up nicely for the stamina laden One Big Bang.

Chelmsford 3.15: Sanat is an interesting new arrival in the Mick Appleby yard and finished with running left on his stable debut nine days ago. His new trainer is a past master with similar types.

Ffos Las 3.31: The thriving Beat Box can make it seven wins from eight since joining Dan Skelton.

Newcastle 3.45: Arantes Nascimento would have won last time out with more luck in running and can make amends off a 2lb higher mark.