Chepstow, Plumpton and Naas all cleared for Sunday racing

National Hunt racing resumed on Sunday after fixtures at Chepstow, Plumpton and Naas were all given the go-ahead following morning inspections.

Racegoers were left without any jumps or afternoon action on Saturday after freezing temperatures claimed the meetings at Sandown and Wincanton. Newcastle’s jumps card had already been abandoned on Friday, while a frozen track at Cork meant no racing took place in Ireland either.

Officials at Plumpton announced a precautionary inspection for 8.30am ahead of the track’s BetGoodwin Sussex National meeting due to the forecast of heavy rain overnight – and while 25mm fell, racing was given the green light.

Chepstow opted to take another look after an initial precautionary check at 7.30am and, with temperatures rising, the seven-race card did pass a second inspection at 9am, while the Grade One Lawlor’s Of Naas Novice Hurdle is the feature event on a quality card at Naas.

A 7.30am inspection was called at the Irish track due to the threat of snow, but that failed to materialise.

Brendan Sheridan, clerk of the course for the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board, said: “We had no snow overnight, we’ve had 11 millimetres of rain and the ground is now soft, soft to heavy in places.”

Further interruptions to the racing programme appear almost certain in the coming days, though, with more snow and freezing temperatures forecast.

Monday’s jumps meeting at Ayr is subject to a precautionary inspection at 7am due to the threat of snow and temperatures as low as minus 2C, while officials at Ludlow will also inspect at 7am ahead of their Monday fixture, with two inches of snow laying on the track on Sunday morning.

Leicester’s Tuesday card has already been abandoned due to waterlogging.