Newbury upbeat about weather and going

Despite overnight temperatures dropping to -4C, both Henderson and clerk of the course Richard Osgood were "very happy" with the overall state of the going and the forecast for the remainder of the week is also positive.

"AP and I both walked round the track this morning and we're happy," said Henderson on Wednesday afternoon.  "They've done a great job of covering and I don't envy the job of taking the covers off."The course looks in great nick and to be fair you could race on the Flat track today, which is not covered, it's that good and there is a nice strip of new ground on both the hurdle and chase courses."

Osgood says it would have been "touch and go" for racing to have taken place on Wednesday but is hopeful that Tuesday night was the last "hard frost" before Saturday. 

He said: "I was very happy this morning and the frost has not got in the ground that much. If the forecast is correct we should be able to keep the cold out."

The going was changed to good to soft from good to soft, soft in places on Wednesday but Osgood expects further precipitation before racing.Speaking on Racing UK, he added: "It could be snow, hail or rain on Thursday night into Friday and it's likely to be wet much of Friday. Hopefully it will be mainly rain on Friday."

The meeting is due to stage the Betfair Hurdle,  Denman Chase, Game Spirit Chase as well as the Scilly Isles Novices' Chase, which was transferred from last Saturday's abandoned card at Sandown, with Henderson looking to run the likes of last year's Gold Cup winner Long Run and Racing Post Arkle favourite Sprinter Sacre.

At 4.30pm on Betfair, it was 4-9 the meeting goes ahead on Saturday and 2-1 that it is abandoned.

 fingers crossed

 Bob