FFOS LAS are fighting back against the frost that has wiped out jumps racing this week.
The Welsh track are ‘hopeful’ they can race on turf on Thursday – as long as the latest weather forecasts prove accurate.
Ffos Las are ‘hopeful’ they can get Thursday’s jumps card on
Racing has been hit hard by frost and snow this week
The course was opened in 2009 and was the brainchild of Dai Walters who is still recovering in hospital after being involved in a horrifying helicopter crash.
The turf has been covered by frost sheets for several days and clerk of the course Dai Jones said the track is currently raceable.
He admitted he had been confident earlier this week that the seven-race card would go ahead as planned as they had so far avoided the worst of the freezing weather.
But the forecast for Wednesday night, which predicts the mercury will dip as low as -5C for the first time, is causing some concern.
Temperatures could rebound to a balmy five degrees during the day, and if that pans out then the fixture may be spared.
Jones explained: “I had been quietly confident as no frost has got in under the covers so far.
“If we were racing on Tuesday we wouldn’t have had any issues and the precautions we’ve taken are working at the moment.
“My only worry is that temperatures didn’t get up as high as expected today and they’re going to drop Wednesday evening.
“The forecast is saying that temperatures will rise again during the day on Thursday, and if that is the case then we might well be OK.
“We just have to hope it isn’t colder than expected, with these things it is always in the lap of the Gods.
“I’d say I’m hopeful rather than confident but we will do everything we can.”
The picture is bleaker for Haydock, who have called an 8am inspection on Thursday morning for their big Tommy Whittle Chase card on Saturday.
The course is currently frozen in places and there is little chance of temperatures rising sufficiently to thaw the turf between now and the weekend.
Meanwhile, Ascot have said there is a slim chance racing can go ahead on Saturday – but they ruled out moving the Long Walk Hurdle card to Sunday.
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